


The Writing's On the Wall

by mmouse15, zebraljb



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Art, Graffiti, Harry is an agent Eggsy is not, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-14 08:29:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19269508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmouse15/pseuds/mmouse15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: Someone's creating lovely artwork on buildings around London. Why does Kingsman care? Because the artist is including a tiny replica of the Kingsman symbol in every painting.  Chester asks Harry to investigate, and along the way he is distracted by a lovely young man he meets in a coffeehouse.





	1. Chapter 1

 

“The mystery artist has struck again, this time on the side of an abandoned building near Southerton Street. The artist must’ve spent his entire night working, Steven, because the top half of the building is completely covered, left to right. The detail is simply astounding.”

“Eva, what is it, exactly?”

“Well, it looks like a zoo. There are lions, leopards, pandas…I believe that’s a zebra and kangaroo on the side. Truly remarkable…not that we at the station condone illegal graffiti.”

“Quite right, Eva. Is there anything giving the artist’s identity?”

“Just the usual “Rex” written in block letters in the bottom left corner.”

“And is the circled K in evidence as well?”

“Yes…someone’s found it in the eye of the lion.”

“Intriguing. Absolutely fascinating.”

“Most definitely. Back to you in the studio, Steven.”

 

Harry Hart enters the Kingsman conference room and makes a cup of tea. “Good morning, Merlin.”

“Galahad.” Merlin doesn’t look up from his clipboard.

“Busy night?”

“Ye could say that. Kay was injured in Mumbai, and Tristan almost missed out on the drop in Kingston.”

“And yet here you are, looking bright eyed and bushy-tailed.” Harry takes his usual seat and sips at his tea.

“I have never in my life been ‘bushy-tailed,’ Galahad,” Merlin almost growls. “But ye are downright chipper. Let me guess. Another pretty young lad warmed your bed last night?”

“Absolutely not.” Harry sips again. “I never bring them to my home.”

“Hmmm.”

“Gentlemen.” Chester King strides into the room and they both jump to their feet. “Take your seats.”

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Harry asks.

“Yes.” Chester pours his own tea and sits before speaking further. “Have you seen anything about the ridiculous graffiti going up around town?”

“I did hear something on the morning news as I was shaving today,” Harry replies.

“Merlin?” Chester motions to him and Merlin activates the screen on the wall.

“The paintings started appearing about three or four months ago. They started small…chalk art on the pavement by the Thames, drawings on doors. In the last three weeks, however, he or she has gotten brave.” He swipes at his clipboard.

“Remarkable.” Harry slowly stands and walks around the table to get a better look. He touches the screen and moves things as he sees fit. Salvador Dali’s “Persistence of Memory” but with melting cars instead of clocks. Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” but with a beautiful young man rising from the shell with a flowing piece of fabric covering his genitals. A silhouette of the Empire State Building around a silhouette of the Eiffel Tower around a silhouette of Big Ben. “And they manage to do these without being caught?”

“Apparently. In places with very little security coverage. If there ARE cameras, he covers them until he’s done. He does nae harm them in any way, just blocks their view.”

“Remarkable,” Harry repeats. “I must ask, however…why are we discussing this?”

“Because of this.” Merlin focuses in on the very top of the Empire State Building. He then flips the screen to the hubcap of one of the cars in the Dali copy, and in the middle of the shell in the Botticelli.

“Is that…is that the Kingsman symbol?” Harry gasps.

“It is. He signs the paintings with the word “REX” but he manages to put our symbol in every painting.”

“Christ.” Harry finishes his tea. “What do you wish me to do, Arthur?”

“Merlin will be starting an internal investigation, from the ground up. What I need YOU to do is start investigating when you’re not on an actual mission.”

Harry stares at him. “I mean no disrespect, Arthur, but I am not a private investigator. Isn’t it a waste of my talents…” Merlin snorts and Harry glares at him.

“We cannot trust the police to deal with this appropriately,” Chester says. “They might catch him, but we need to find out how much he knows about Kingsman and how he knows it. I trust you to take care of this. Merlin will send you everything he has.”

“Yes, Arthur,” Harry says with a sigh.

 

Harry and Merlin are enjoying yet another cup of tea in Merlin’s office two hours later. “I simply do not understand why I’M getting involved in this,” Harry says. “I am not a police officer.”

“I know, Harry. This makes Chester nervous. He does nae like the idea of a civilian knowing about Kingsman. Or…the idea that one of our enemies is using the symbol to bait us, lure us in.”

“I thought you were one of the best technical minds of our generation,” Harry says almost angrily. “Why haven’t you found him?”

“Perhaps because I’ve been busy vetting the staff, running missions, and working on tech in my spare time?” Merlin snaps back. “Dinnae strop at me, Harry Hart, simply because ye dinnae like the idea of having to do actual WORK for a change.”

“I work,” Harry mutters. “Here’s my other question. Where in the world am I supposed to look for this…Rex? It’s not as if I can keep an eye on every building in London.”

“I know. I’m working on that…trying to find a way to get eyes everywhere.” Merlin sighs. “Bloody impossible, if ye ask me.”

Harry sighs, realizing that his friend is under the same pressure from Arthur that he is. “Well, if you come up with anything, please let me know.”

“I believe I have a mission for you…something brewing in Poland, although you won’t need to go anywhere for the next few days.”

“Thank you.” Harry stands. “And I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“You’re not, but thank you all the same,” Merlin says politely.

Harry heads back to his office and starts to go through the information procured by Merlin. The police have actually been doing a fairly good job, although they’re not trying too hard. They have more important things to deal with than pretty pictures on walls of buildings. The artwork is never grotesque or obscene, and it’s never done on anything like a government building or a church. It’s usually an older building in a poorer section of the city. He starts thinking about the paint, but the police are one step ahead of him. Paint samples were taken from every wall, and it’s nothing special. Run of the mill paint that can be obtained at any paint store.

Harry frowns and flips through the paintings one by one. They’re actually quite good. A shame, really.

 

Two days later Harry is in the worst of moods. He’s made a list of some of the larger paint stores in the city and has made his inquiries. Nothing of note, nothing out of the ordinary. He decides to try one more, but as he calls for a cab at his house, he realizes it’s only nine, and the store doesn’t open until ten. He gives the address for the store anyway, figuring he should be able to find something to do for the next hour.

Thankfully there’s a charming little coffeehouse around the corner, and he manages to snag the very last table. He adds milk to his coffee, opens his newspaper, and eagerly bites into a piece of delicious homemade blueberry bread. The line soon reaches to the door, and he’s thankful for his tiny table in the corner. He looks up and feels quite victorious as he watches a young man scan the room looking for a table. The young man’s entire body seems to droop with disappointment, the hand holding his coffee slowly lowering to his side as if he no longer wants the beverage. He’s in his early twenties, wearing an ugly snap back, tight jeans, and a hoodie. His face is handsome but with a sharp jawline, and the pinkest lips Harry has ever seen. He’s beautiful.

Before he knows it, Harry’s raising his hand. “Excuse me, young man?” The boy’s green eyes – gorgeous green eyes – turn in Harry’s direction. He slowly looks around before pointing to himself. “Yes, you. I am eating alone, and this chair is unused. Would you like to sit?”

“I…are ya sure?”

“Quite sure.” Harry stands and motions to the empty chair. “I insist.”

“All right.” The young man sits down with his takeaway cup and pulls his knapsack onto his lap. Up close he looks even younger but just as beautiful, with dark circles under his eyes. “Thanks.”

“Not at all,” Harry says.

“Most people wouldn’t do that,” the boy says shyly.

“I am not most people,” Harry says, which earns a smirk from the boy. “Oh, forgive my manners.” Harry brushes off his hands. “Harry Hart.” He stretches his arm across the table.

“Eggsy,” the young man says. “Well, Gary, but I hate it, so Eggsy. Family nickname.”

This tweaks something in Harry’s memory but he brushes it aside. “I understand. My full name is Harrison, which I abhor.”

“Dunno what parents are up to sometimes,” Eggsy says, shaking his head. He sips at his coffee, eyes wandering to the plate of blueberry bread. His gaze is hungry, and Harry eye’s quickly run over the cheap and well-worn clothing.

“Would you mind? I’m afraid I don’t know what I was thinking…I already had breakfast.” Harry gently pushes the plate across the table. “It just looked so good.”

“I…I couldn’t…”

“You’ll insult me if you don’t,” Harry says slyly, and the boy eagerly reaches out.

“Wouldn’t wanna do that…you being so kind and all.”

“So, Eggsy, what is it that you do?” Harry folds the newspaper and puts it aside.

Eggsy’s cheeks turn a bit pink as he finishes his bite. “Oh, a bit of this or that. Do some heavy lifting for my mate Jamal’s dad, or…or I work for my stepdad.” These last words are said into his cup, and Harry gets the feeling it’s something he’s not proud of.

“Nothing wrong with a good day’s labor,” Harry says, realizing he sounds like he’s ninety years old.

“How about you?”

“I’m a tailor on Saville Row.”

“Shoulda known.” Eggsy looks impressed and Harry can’t help but preen a bit. “You're right fit.” Eggsy turns crimson. “I mean, your suit…it’s nice.”

“I thank you for the compliment,” Harry says, looking right into Eggsy’s eyes. “You’re not at university, then?”

“Fuck, no!” Eggsy exclaims. “I mean…sorry…”

“It’s fine. I’ve heard and used so much worse. When my best friend gets started he uses language that would put a sailor to shame. And that’s just in English…once you get him going he usually moves to Gaelic.”

“Wow,” Eggsy says, laughing. Harry is absolutely smitten. The laugh is deep, surprisingly so for one so young. “Do you speak other languages, too?”

“Yes,” Harry says. “I am fluent in Spanish, French and Italian, and can get by in German and Portuguese.”

“Know all the naughty words, do you?” Eggsy asks with a wink.

“ALL of them,” Harry replies with a wink in return.

The hour moves far too quickly, and soon he has to look at his watch with a sigh. “Gotta be somewhere?” Eggsy asks

“Yes. I have to make a stop at a shop nearby, and then I’m due at work.” Harry stands and Eggsy follows suit.

“Thanks again, for letting me sit with you.”

“It was my pleasure, Eggsy. You saved me from having to sit alone.”

This time it’s Eggsy that holds out his hand. “Have a good day, Mr. Hart.”

“Harry, please. And you as well.” Harry shakes the outstretched hand and turns to go. When he turns back to look at Eggsy once more, he’s already gone.

 

Harry goes to work and does, well, work. He completes ammunition forms. He files reports. He does a bit of research for the Poland mission. He fills his day with everything important to him. But he finds himself staring into space more than once, thinking of green eyes. Pink lips. Beautiful cheekbones. He also tries to remember why the name Eggsy, or Gary, means something to him, because it does. It keeps tickling at the back of his brain. He considers asking Merlin – the man remembers everything – but he knows it won’t end well for him. Merlin will simply grill him for information on the “attractive young man in the coffeeshop” (he can already hear it, Merlin is secretly as bad as a teenage girl when it comes to romance) and all Harry will get is an earful of annoyance.

By the time he goes home he realizes it’s all completely ridiculous. He’s an international spy. He has a job to do. He does NOT have time to fantasize about a beautiful young man with a cheeky grin and an arse he could write poetry about. He continues to tell himself that long after he’s gone to bed, as he lays awake and recounts the entire conversation from memory.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Harry has absolutely no reason to go to that neighborhood the next day. He has a perfectly lovely Keurig at home, and a very eclectic selection of coffee pods. He also has a very nice coffeehouse around the corner from the Kingsman shop. But he finds himself ordering coffee and bread – banana this time – and sitting down at the same corner table by half-eight. He has no clue what he’s doing; only that Eggsy’s beautiful profile and sparkling green eyes had crept into his mind almost immediately upon waking. He’s brought along a tablet from work, telling himself it’s a nice place to do some reading. He knows he’s fooling himself. It’s half-eight. No boy Eggsy’s age is going to be up and about that early.

“Mr. Hart.”

Harry cannot believe his luck. He slowly looks up into Eggsy’s green eyes. “I believe I told you to call me Harry.” He stands and holds out a hand for Eggsy again. Eggsy smiles and shakes it.

“You did. But I rarely do what people tell me.” He looks around the coffeeshop, which is only half-full this time. “This seat taken?”

“It is now. Please join me.” Harry sits down and tries to act like a mature adult. He’s been doing it for decades, why is it so difficult now? “Bread?”

“Thanks.” Eggsy reaches out, takes a good look, then pulls his hand back. “Banana?” Harry nods. “Thanks again, but I can’t. Allergic to bananas.”

“I apologize.”

Eggsy shrugs and gets an orange out of his knapsack. “You didn’t know. Wouldn’t eat them anyway…bananas are the devil’s work.”

“Indeed,” Harry says wryly and Eggsy snickers. 

“Tailor stuff?” Eggsy motions to Harry’s tablet.

Harry casually turns it off and puts it in his briefcase. “Yes. Terribly boring. Fabric and yardage and all sorts of delightful data.”

“Lucky you.” Eggsy busies himself peeling the orange and Harry’s eyes are drawn to his hands. Slender fingers but not as slender as Harry’s own. Strong hands with calluses. 

“Were you working last night?” Eggsy looks up sharply. “That you’re here so early. I didn’t think people of your generation were physically capable of rising before ten.”

“Well, we need to get an early start on whining and complaining about how the world owes us a living, don’t we?”

Harry has the decency to blush. “You’re quite right, I was making a very rude generalization. I apologize.”

“Nah, it’s all good. You’re right, know people my age like that. Yeah, I was working last night…just heading home, actually. Thought I’d stop in for a cuppa first.” Eggsy tilts his head and studies Harry. “You don’t live around here, do you, Harry?”

“No, I don’t. I only stopped by yesterday because I was in the neighborhood for work.”

“Yeah, you said that yesterday.” Eggsy gives him a faint smile. Harry’s pleased that Eggsy remembers their conversation. “Didn’t figure you lived ‘round here…you sure don’t look it.”

“I believe that’s a compliment, so I will say thank you,” Harry replies, and Eggsy laughs out loud. 

“So you had to be back here for work again? Not much for a tailor round here,” Eggsy muses. 

“You are correct. I…I liked the atmosphere in here,” Harry says honestly. “Do…do you come here frequently?”

“Sometimes…they open early so I can grab something quick if I wanna eat before I go home to bed.”

Visions of a naked Eggsy in bed, sheet draped across his waist…Harry mentally gives himself a shake. “Well, since I cannot share my bread with you today, might I get you something else?”

Eggsy turns pink. “Uh, well, thanks, but that ain’t necessary…”

“Please allow me…”

“Don’t need charity,” Eggsy snaps, and Harry physically pulls back in his chair. “Christ…that was rude as fuck. I’m sorry.” He wipes a hand over his face. “M’just fuckin’ tired. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s quite all right, I understand. You barely know me, and here I am trying to buy you something to eat,” Harry says lamely.

“No, it’s just…where I’m from, people don’t offer handouts. Well, they do, but for one of two reasons. Either they’re doing it ‘out of the goodness of their hearts,’ to make themselves feel charitable and doing good in God’s eyes…or they want something for it.” Eggsy’s green eyes meet Harry’s.

“I promise you, Eggsy, I meant nothing by…”

“I know, Harry. You don’t seem like the type to go out on the pull at eight in the morning in a coffeehouse.” Eggsy is smiling now, teasing.

“Well, you don’t know me very well, do you?” Harry says, offering a wink. Eggsy laughs again and Harry is absolutely charmed by the sound.

“Not yet,” Eggsy says. “So…ain’t they got coffeehouses in your neck of the woods?”

“They do, but they are overpopulated with irritating hipsters and doddering old fools not unlike myself.”

“You ain’t a fool,” Eggsy says, giving him a cheeky grin.

“Cute.”

“You ain’t old, neither,” Eggsy continues. “What are you, forty?”

“Oh, I wish. Fifty-three.”

“Christ, you're a fucking dinosaur,” Eggsy says with a straight face. 

“Quite. I’m lucky I remember my own name sometimes,” Harry says with a sigh. They smile at each other, enjoying the flirtatious banter.

“You don’t look nowhere near fifty.” Eggsy offers him the last section of his orange and Harry takes it, although he normally doesn’t eat oranges because they’re so messy. He carefully takes a bite, and then pops the rest into his mouth. 

“Thank you, Eggsy…I assure you that I most definitely feel it most days.” That reminds him; he needs to schedule his annual physical soon.

Eggsy yawns and Harry raises his eyebrows. “Sorry, don’t mean to be rude. Like I said…fucking knackered. Best be getting home.” He stands and Harry follows. When they get out onto the pavement Eggsy says, “Gonna see you again?”

“Perhaps. The life of a tailor is just so busy.” Harry tsks and shakes his head.

“Poor Harry. Well, if you find time in your needles and thread, maybe I’ll see you again soon.”

“Maybe. Have a wonderful day, Eggsy.”

“You, too, Harry.”

This time Harry manages to walk away without looking back.

 

The mission in Poland takes almost a fortnight, and Harry’s so engrossed in the assignment that he forgets about Rex AND Eggsy. Almost. Late at night, while he’s sitting in his tiny hotel room listening to the information from his bugging devices, his mind occasionally wanders to the cheeky grin, the gorgeous body, the infectious laugh. Christ, he’s actually smitten. He hopes he gets the chance to shoot someone soon, because he really needs to get this out of his system.

When he returns to HQ and meets with Merlin, the first thing out of his mouth is, “Please tell me you’ve solved this Rex ridiculousness. I’m really NOT in the mood to go off on more wild goose chases.”

“I can’t understand why, Harry…it’s nae like ye are doing any work anyway. That is, unless ye count flirting with an attractive chav half your age.” Merlin smiles pleasantly. 

“Snooping on a friend’s private conversations is NOT behavior becoming of a gentleman,” Harry grumbles. 

“It’s better than telly.”

“If you would fuck off, that would be quite lovely.” Harry storms over to make tea.

“Did ye get his number?”

“A chance meeting in a coffeehouse in a less than savory neighborhood? I think not,” Harry scoffs, although he’s been kicking himself for not doing that very thing.

“Ye disappoint me,” Merlin says.

“I don’t care. Now, back to the issue at hand?”

“Nothing,” Merlin admits with a sigh. “It’s like he’s a ghost. The most recent painting was a lot smaller, on the side of a nursery school. They were talking of closing the school…not enough money coming in. But now people in the neighborhood are up in arms about it and taking a collection to keep it there.”

“Fascinating,” Harry muses. He leans across the desk to look at Merlin’s monitor. The side of the building is covered with fairy tale characters. Mother Goose, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty. “And the Kingsman symbol?”

“On Jack and Jill’s pail,” Merlin points out. 

“Christ.” Harry leans back and sighs. “And how have things been going regarding camera footage?”

“I’ve been doing everything I can think of…it’s just impossible to be everywhere at once.”

“Quite.” Harry stands. “I’m going home to my bed.”

“Alone?”

“Shut up.” Harry slams the door as he leaves.

Harry literally falls into bed as soon as he takes off his suit. He sleeps the day and night away, awakening at half-six the next morning. He showers and dresses in more casual clothes; a cardigan and casual trousers are his usual for the days he’s not required at HQ. He looks at his Keurig, looks at his refrigerator, and sighs. Who is he kidding?

 

He makes it to the coffeehouse by 7:45, frowning as he sees the line is actually stretched out the front door. He cannot see in the window, so he’s unsure if Eggsy is inside. “Bollocks,” he mutters to himself.

“Harry!” He slowly turns around to see Eggsy behind him, face lighting up. “You’re here!”

“Why yes, I am. How are you?”

“I…” Eggsy turns an adorable shade of pink. “I’m fine, I just…I been here, uh, a lot. You ain’t.”

Harry realizes Eggsy’s been looking for him. For a fortnight. “I’m terribly sorry, Eggsy. My trip to Warsaw took much longer than expected.”

“You had ta go to Poland for work?”

“Yes. You see, our shop makes clothing for wealthy clients as well as royalty all over the world.”

“Oh.” Eggsy bounces on his heels for a moment. “Going in?”

“I really am not one to wait in a queue, I’m afraid.”

“Off work today?” Eggsy motions to Harry’s outfit and he nods. “Well, uh, there’s another place not too far away. Pastries ain’t as good, but they also don’t get as busy. Maybe we could go there…if you wanted.”

“That would be lovely,” Harry says. “Lead on.”

He follows Eggsy as he starts down the pavement. “So…you travel a lot for work?”

“I do.”

“That must be nice,” Eggsy says almost wistfully. “Ain’t never been outta London.”

Harry manages not to wince at the double negative. “Just last month I was in Stockholm, doing some work for the royal family. Crown Princess Tilde is a charming young lady…quite attractive.”

“Yeah, she’s real pretty,” Eggsy says, and Harry’s heart sinks. Of course. “I mean, if you like that sorta thing. I’m not really into…princesses,” Eggsy finishes lamely, and he gives Harry a pointed look.

“Ah, yes. Princesses…are not my cup of tea either,” Harry responds carefully. Eggsy seems to relax a bit, giving Harry a shy grin. 

“Here we go.” Eggsy reaches for the door.

Harry looks around a bit. “Eggsy…it’s a nice morning, and there seems to be a lovely park just across the way…would you care to have our drinks there?”

“Yeah, that’d be aces.” Eggsy beams at Harry as if he’s proposed marriage. They go in and order their drinks to go, Harry taking a chance on an order of cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven. The woman behind the counter seems charmed by Harry’s manners and gentlemanly behavior, because she throws an extra roll in free of charge. They make their way across the street and walk into the park.

“This looks nice.” Harry wipes the bench with a napkin before sitting down. “I do hope you’re not allergic to cinnamon as well. I should have asked.”

“Nah, just bananas. And I’ll buy the next time, all right? Can’t keep taking advantage of an old geezer like you.” Eggsy winks and sips at his coffee.

Next time. Eggsy wants there to be a next time. “So…were you working last night?”

“No…taking a few nights off.” Eggsy looks uncomfortable. “My...my stepdad…things ain’t always good at home, so I try to be out as much as I can when he’s there. Slept at my mate Jamal’s flat last night, gonna go home soon cuz he’ll be gone.”

“I’m sorry to hear it,” Harry says quietly. 

Eggsy shrugs. “You make do with what you got, ya know?” He smiles then, a lovely smile that lights up his eyes. “The bastard did one thing right…gotta little half-sister, Daisy. She’s beautiful, fucking perfect.” Eggsy gets out his phone, a beat-up piece of equipment with cracks on the screen and the case. But there’s a lovely painting of a little girl as his wallpaper.

“Is that her?”

“Fuck, no!” Eggsy says with a laugh. “That’s a painting. Won’t never put her face right here where anyone can see it…there’s some sick fucks out there. Saw that painting, though, and it looks so much like her I put it up there.” He opens a picture. “This is my flower.”

Harry looks at a pretty little girl with big blue eyes and blond-brown hair like her brother’s. “She looks darling,” he says truthfully.

“She’s a bloody firecracker,” he says proudly. “Only…only reason I stick around, really. Gotta look out for her.”

“You are a good brother,” Harry says. “I’m sure it’s not easy.”

“No, it ain’t.” He takes a bite of his roll and looks around the park. “Ain’t never come through here. It’s nice.”

“Yes.” Harry takes a deep breath and dives in. “So…you said…it sounded as if…as if you were looking for me while I was gone?”

There’s that blush again. “Yeah. I mean, not every day, cuz sometimes I was just too fucking tired to do anything but go to bed. But…yeah.” Eggsy fidgets a bit. “Sorry if it sounds creepy or sommat.”

“Not at all,” Harry says softly. “Quite the opposite, actually.” Eggsy gives him that shy grin again. “I was wondering if…perhaps we should…would you be willing to give me your number? Perhaps we could try to actual plan to meet, as opposed to allowing the Fates to decide.”

“Yeah…that’d be fucking aces.” Eggsy gets out his phone again. “Put your number in.” He hands the phone over and Harry puts in his number.

“I must warn you, depending on where I am and the time zone, I may not always be able to respond immediately.”

“I understand. And if I work overnight, I might be sleeping if you text or something during the day.”

“Duly noted.” Harry’s phone buzzes as Eggsy texts him.

“There ya go. You got me.” Eggsy smiles at him and suddenly Harry feels ten years younger.


	3. Chapter 3

In the next month they manage to meet three times for breakfast. On two of the days they go to their bench in the park, but on the third they are forced inside because of a spring shower. Eggsy’s already at a table when Harry arrives, and he’s shocked to see a bruise and cut on Eggsy’s cheek, and a bandage around his forearm. “What happened?” Harry gasps in horror. He reaches out to rub the back of his knuckles over the facial bruise, remembering himself just in time. “Was it…did he…” Harry knows that Eggsy’s stepfather is abusive, threatening him with harm to Daisy if he doesn’t toe the line, and occasionally hitting Eggsy out of pure malice.

“Nah, weren’t him this time.” Eggsy looks embarrassed. “For fuck’s sake, Haz, sit down and quit making a scene. Got your coffee and pastry.”

“I’m sorry.” Harry drops into his chair. “Was I making a scene? I do apologize, I just…I hate seeing you hurt,” he admits.

“Now you know how I felt last time when you had that gash on YOUR arm,” Eggsy says pointedly.

“I told you…sewing shears are quite sharp and I’m a bit of a klutz.” Harry busies himself preparing his coffee.

“I find that hard to believe,” Eggsy replies. “At any rate, this was work-related, too…was on a ladder and fell, scraped myself on the way down. That’s all.”

“What were you doing? Painting a skyscraper?” Harry teases.

“What makes ya say that?” Eggsy snaps.

“I…I do beg your pardon, Eggsy, I was…I was teasing.”

“Course you was.” Eggsy closes his eyes for a moment then reaches over to touch Harry’s hand. “Sorry, Haz. I just feel like an idiot about it is all. I’ll be fine, swear down.”

“Well, keep both feet on the ground and let the others do the ladder work and I will forgive you,” Harry tells him with a smile.

“We’ll see,” Eggsy says, but he smiles back.

 

“I expected more from you, Galahad,” Chester says sternly, frowning at him.

“I do apologize, Arthur, but I’m not quite sure what more I could be doing. Merlin is doing what he can with his technology, but I cannot be everywhere at once. There are thousands of buildings in London and there is absolutely no pattern.” Harry angrily gets up and stalks around the table. He pokes the map on the screen and Merlin hisses. “Oh, do be quiet, Merlin. I’m not going to hurt your precious monitor. “One week he’s here…one week he’s over there, then he circles back. Last time I looked the funds in my account are deposited by Kingsman, NOT the London police force. My job is to go out on missions and save the bloody world.”

“Galahad, you will refrain from…”

“I believe I have come up with something,” Merlin interrupts. “Perhaps we could go to my office and discuss it, Galahad? I won’t bore you with the details, Arthur. Quite technical.”

“Very well.” Chester stands and points at Harry. “Do something about this. We need to find out what this person knows about Kingsman.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry says almost sullenly. Chester stomps out of the room, albeit in a very gentlemanly fashion. Harry turns to Merlin. “So…what is it?”

“Nothing,” Merlin tells him. “I just wanted him to shut his bloody mouth.”

Harry stares at him and starts to laugh. “You are amazing.”

“Of course I am. Come along, Galahad…let’s have a drink and talk about everything we don’t know.”

 

_Hi Haz._  
_Hello, Eggsy._  
_How R U._  
_Not in the best of moods, I’m afraid. Rough day at work. ___  
_Sry 2 hear it. Boss giving U shit?_  
_You could say that. ___  
_Just wanted 2 tell U I wont B able 2 make it tmrw. Daisy has a cold, rly fussy._  
_Is there anything I can do?_  
_U R sweet, but no thx. We can manage. Sorry about tmrw._  
_It’s fine. I understand._  
_Have a good night, Harry._  
_You as well, Eggsy._

____

 

Harry stares at his phone, frowning as he puts it down on the kitchen table. He’s not going to lie to himself; he’s quite disappointed that he won’t be seeing Eggsy for breakfast the next day. They’ve been texting on the days they don’t see each other, simple conversations peppered here and there throughout the day. In Harry’s case, he makes up stories about the tailor shop. Eggsy primarily speaks about his sister, although Harry has managed to figure out Eggsy did a short stint in the Marines, lost his father at an early age, and was quite good at gymnastics before his stepfather made him quit. 

Harry gets up and begins to pace. Everything in his life is frustrating him. He and Eggsy have done nothing more than shake hands, but each time they say goodbye it takes everything Harry has not to bend down to steal a kiss from the pink lips. He can tell Eggsy’s interested in him as more than just a friend, it’s apparent in his body language. But something’s holding him back. Harry knows what’s holding HIM back…the fact that Eggsy is at least twenty years younger than he, a beautiful specimen of a person who deserves more than a grumpy old man who could be killed at any moment when doing his job. Harry’s just thankful for any time Eggsy gives him.

Equally if not more frustrating is the entire situation with the mysterious Rex. He’s incredibly good about covering his footsteps and staying underground; if Harry could just find him he’d probably be an asset to Kingsman. But Harry CAN’T find him. He’s called in every favor he can think of, even reached out to MI-6 for help regarding their surveillance abilities. Not surprisingly they were not interested in giving any sort of assistance. Chester’s at his wit’s end, and so is the local police force. 

The next day Harry is called away on a mission to New York and finds himself allowing a young twink to call him Daddy just so Harry can get into the office of the twink’s father and plant some bugs. Harry is unashamed of the way he pictures Eggsy beneath him as he fucks the boy. Would Eggsy want to call him Daddy? Is he still flexible? Would he allow Harry to bend him in half as he pushed inside?

With those thoughts, this is the most enjoyable honeypot he’s been on in a long time.

 

“Buggering fucking hell,” Merlin snaps and Harry jolts awake.

“I’m sorry…was I snoring?”

“Nae, although that’s one of the reasons I dinnae like taking your reports over the phone when you’re home from a mission. You’re usually exhausted and I cannae make heads nor tails of anything.” 

“I am always perfectly lucid and…”

“Of course ye are,” Merlin interrupts. “It must be me…I somehow manage to write an entire report as one long run-on sentence that ends in a verb and a snore.”

“So what’s going on?”

“Another painting,” Merlin says with a sigh. “Gorgeous, really…Van Gogh’s sunflowers.”

“I like sunflowers,” Harry yawns.

“Oh, go to sleep, ye pompous idiot. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Mmm.” Harry removes his glasses, tosses them onto the nightstand, and wraps himself around his pillow. “G’night, Eggsy,” he mumbles to the empty room.

 

The next day Harry awakens at eleven and has to force himself out of bed. Missions are taking more and more out of him but he absolutely refuses to admit it might have to do with his age. He logs onto the Kingsman server as he drinks his morning cup of coffee, hoping Merlin will have added something new on the whole Rex situation. Of course he hasn’t, but not for lack of trying. Harry knows Merlin is pulling his metaphorical hair out about this as much as Harry. He notes the location of the sunflower mural and goes up to shower and dress.

As he stands in front of the building he cannot help but be impressed. Rex has chosen the first version of the sunflower painting with the beautiful turquoise background. The amazing thing is that obviously Rex doesn’t have a lot of time to spend on detail, plus he paints at night. None of that is noticeable in the painting. It’s as good as if he’d spent days on it, weeks even. Harry sighs and shakes his head. He looks around and finds the Kingsman symbol on the tip of one of the leaves. “Who ARE you?” He murmurs to himself.

 

_Haz…about tmrw._  
_Do you need to cancel again? I understand._  
_No! I want 2 C U. Could we do lunch instead?_  
_That would be lovely._  
_Meet at the park around 12…I will bring food._  
_That isn’t necessary._  
_Don’t care whats necessary. My treat._  
_If you wish._  
_Great. C U tmrw @ 12._

Harry absolutely does not count the hours until noon the next day.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

“Good afternoon, Eggsy,” Harry says as soon as he’s within earshot. Eggsy is standing by “their” bench in the park with something at his feet.

Eggsy whirls around. “Harry.” His beautiful smile beams out and Harry feels a thrill wash over him. “How was New York?”

“Dreadful,” Harry tells him. “I won’t bore you with the details, but I WILL use the word barbaric.” He glances down. “Is that a picnic basket?”

“Yeah.” Eggsy picks it up and clutches it to his chest. “Told ya I’d bring lunch.”

“You did, but…” The basket looks new. “Did you purchase that just for today?”

“I might have. Figured you deserved the real deal. Pull out all the stops.”

“Eggsy,” Harry says softly. “My dear boy, I know money is…”

“Got some money,” Eggsy says defensively. “Did…did some work for my stepdad.” He looks ashamed and Harry realizes that if he presses the matter, he’s embarrassing him. 

“Well, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you spending your hard-earned money on me.” Eggsy turns pink with pleasure. “I look forward to finding out exactly what you have in there.”

“Well, we could eat here, or…” Eggsy picks up a blanket from the bench. “Brought this, too. Didn’t know if a proper gent would wanna sit on the ground.”

“Well, when we see a proper gent, we can ask him.” Harry takes the blanket. “Lead on.”

Eggsy heads down the path into the park, heading for a small grove of trees. He stops underneath a beautiful maple. “How’s this?”

“Perfect. Not too sunny, not too shady.” Harry flips out the blanket and they sit down.

“Gotta warn ya…Daisy helped put this together,” Eggsy says as he opens the basket. “I mean, I bought most of it, but she saw the basket and insisted I needed to make jam sandwiches.” He hands over a small parcel wrapped in wax paper. “So…jam sandwich.”

“Oh my.” Harry smiles fondly as he takes the sandwich. “I haven’t had a jam sandwich in years. I wish I could thank her personally…they were always a favorite of mine.”

“Really? We eat them all the time…jam is cheap.” Eggsy unpacks the rest of the basket. Meat and cheese sandwiches, crisps, bottles of water, and grapes. 

“Well, it was a treat for me…my mother believed that children should eat what adults ate, so I grew up eating boring food. My nanny would make me jam sandwiches now and then and sneak them to me.” 

“Ya had a nanny. Why ain’t I surprised?”

“Didn’t you have one?” Harry asks in mock horror. Eggsy chokes on his sandwich and Harry laughs. 

“Having a hard time imagining you as a little kid,” Eggsy says when he composes himself.

“I was a monster. My nanny, God rest her soul, went grey quite early. She was a lovely woman. Sent me a card every year on my birthday until the day she died.” Harry smiles at the memory. 

Eggsy takes off his trainers and sets them on the grass by the blanket. He frowns as he wipes at a yellow smudge on the toe. “Fuck,” he mutters.

“Did your sister get to your shoes?” Harry asks with a smile. “That looks like paint.”

“Guess so…speaking of Daisy, she told me this morning that she is gonna fly to the moon on a unicorn when she grows up.”

“A promising career path,” Harry says. “I wish her luck.” Eggsy rolls his eyes. “I hear unicorns are horribly temperamental, however.”

“You're as bad as she is,” Eggsy says with a bright grin. “How about you? What did little Harry Hart want to be when he grew up?”

“Well, when I was quite young, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I would always be out and about with the animals on the estate. Dogs, cats, horses…I loved them all.”

“Me, too!” Eggsy exclaims. “Wrecked a car once trying to avoid hitting a…” He trails off. “Never mind.” He blushes at the memory. “So, uh, why didn’t ya do that?”

“Because I’m horribly lazy,” Harry replies and Eggsy laughs. “It’s true. Do you realize how much work goes into becoming a veterinarian? Chemistry…anatomy…microbiology. As soon as I learned that I realized it was not the job for me. I’d actually planned on studying history…perhaps working a museum.”

“I can see you doing that.” Eggsy tilts his head to the side. “Why didn’t you?”

“Well, my mother did not approve, and then I did something she disapproved of even more…I went into the military. Once I came out someone I’d served with mentioned a job at the tailor shop,” Harry lies. “I realized I liked the quiet life of a tailor serving the upper class, and here we are.”

“Huh.” Eggsy thinks on that for a moment, popping grapes into his mouth.

“How about you? What did you wish to be when you grew up?”

“A veterinarian,” Eggsy says with a straight face. Harry snorts. “Well, a gymnast, as ya know…and then Dean fucking Baker put an end to that pretty fuckin’ quick. Still do it when I can…do parkour?” Harry stares at him in confusion. “Free running, where you jump off buildings and shit like that? Bounce around from wall to wall?”

“Christ, that sounds terrible!”

“No! Fuckin’ aces, Harry. Anyway, always liked art. Liked drawing and all that. Used to draw pictures all the time…teacher always put my stuff in the art shows at school.”

“Why didn’t you continue with it?”

“Art school costs money, and nine times outta ten, art don’t put food on the table. Never even really considered it, actually.” Eggsy lays down on the blanket and closes his eyes. “This is so nice…sun…nice day…don’t lemme fall asleep, Harry, cuz I probably could. Was up late working the other night.”

“I won’t,” Harry promises. His eyes wander over to Eggsy’s trainers, the yellow paint bright in the midday sun. Yellow. Yellow like the middle of a daisy. Yellow like sunflowers.

Sunflowers.

Harry’s heart starts to pound in his chest. His gaze moves to Eggsy, beautiful Eggsy, eyelashes fluttering a bit as he lays with his eyes closed. Harry looks at the strong jawline, the sandy hair, the gorgeous body. “You okay, Harry? Got awful quiet.”

“I do apologize. I suppose, like you, I’m just enjoying the day,” Harry says softly. He wills himself to remain calm, to keep his voice steady. It could just be a coincidence. Eggsy works overnight for his friend’s father now and then, at locations where they cannot work during business hours. That makes sense. But Eggsy never had extra money until today, when he did something for his stepfather. Harry knows he probably helps his mother and sister out, but still. He should be earning something. Eggsy has a painting as the wallpaper on his phone, and wanted to be an artist when he grew up. Eggsy has bright yellow paint on his shoe, just days after the sunflower mural appeared.

Harry makes it through the rest of their lunch, drawing on every skill he’s acquired in his career to keep Eggsy from guessing anything’s amiss. They finally start to pack things up around two, Harry shaking the blanket and folding it as Eggsy repacks the basket. “I had a really good time,” Eggsy says shyly.

“I as well. You may prepare a picnic any time in the future,” Harry says with a warm smile.

Eggsy smiles up at him in response, and then suddenly his arms are around Harry, pulling him into an embrace. Harry eagerly reciprocates, wrapping his arms around Eggsy’s body and burying his face in the soft hair. Eggsy doesn’t try to kiss him, not here in this public place, but it is obviously more than just a friendly hug. “Breakfast tomorrow?” Eggsy asks hopefully as he pulls away.

“Of course,” Harry says. “Half-eight?”

“We’ll say that, but you know you're gonna get there at eight forty-five.”

“No need to be so cheeky, Mr. Baker.”

Eggsy’s eyes grow stormy. “Don’t call me that…ain’t my name. Bastard never adopted me or nothing.”

“I do apologize, Eggsy…I’m so sorry,” Harry whispers. “It’s just…I know he came into your life when you were quite young. I assumed…well, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“It’s all right, Harry. Glad he never did…don’t want nothing to do with him. My last name is Unwin, like my Da.”

The uneasy feeling in Harry’s stomach moves up into his throat. Unwin. He knows that name. “I won’t make that mistake again,” Harry says faintly. “Until tomorrow then.”

“Until tomorrow.” Eggsy takes the blanket from Harry. “Bye.”

“Goodbye, Eggsy.” Harry watches him walk away. As he starts walking in the other direction he taps his glasses. “Merlin, I need you to do some research for me.”

 

“Ye look like hell,” Merlin comments as he walks down the path. “The circles under your eyes are not very becoming. And why are we out here instead of in my office or yours?”

“Good morning, Merlin.” Harry hands him a cup. “Café mocha, just the way you like it…full of caffeine and whipped cream.”

“Ye are forgiven,” Merlin says, all but making grabby hands at the cup. “I’d still like an explanation.”

“Let’s go sit by the obstacle course,” Harry suggests. He leads the way down to the viewing area for the line of obstacles. “It’s quite comfortable and breezy here.”

“Harry, if ye called me out here to point out the beauty of the Kingsman grounds…”

“There are circles under my eyes because I have not slept. Well, no, I believe I got thirty minutes here and there.” Harry sips at his own coffee. “Did you do as I asked?”

“Ye mean as ye commanded? Yes.” Merlin studies him carefully. “What’s going on?”

“Just…tell me.”

“Well.” Merlin takes a deep breath. “Ye were correct when ye said the name Unwin was tickling at the back of your brain. Perhaps this will help…Lee Unwin.”

Harry almost drops his cup. “Lee Unwin?” 

“Aye. Lee Unwin.”

“It was my fault he died,” Harry whispers.

“Christ, Harry, I thought ye were over this! Ye know it was nae your fault. If it was, it was also MY fault. It was JAMES’ fault…he should have seen it, too.”

“I was senior agent.”

“Oh, bollocks,” Merlin growls. “At any rate, it doesn’t do any good to argue about it now. Lee Unwin had a son named…”

“Gary…but he goes by Eggsy.”

“Right.” Harry sees the instant Merlin gets it. “Jesus Christ.”

“Yes. The boy you have been teasing me about for weeks now, the one who has absolutely bewitched me…is Lee’s son.”

“Jesus Christ,” Merlin repeats. “I always said ye were a living soap opera, Harry, but now ye have proved me right.”

“Yes.” Harry fiddles with the lid of his cup.

“Well, this is nae so bad. As long as ye can get over the…”

“There’s more,” Harry interrupts. He knows gentlemen do not interrupt, but he doesn’t care. “That’s not all. I…fuck.” Harry wipes his hand over his face.

“Harry,” Merlin says quietly. He places a hand on Harry’s shoulder and it’s strangely comforting. No matter what, he knows Merlin will always have his back. 

Harry removes his glasses, folds them, and puts them in his pocket. Merlin slowly removes his own and pockets them as well. “The reason I asked you to meet me out here is because I knew there was no threat of being overheard.” Merlin nods. “I think…that is, I believe…I’ve come to the conclusion…” Harry takes a deep breath. “I believe Eggsy is Rex.”

“What?” Merlin gasps. If Harry wasn’t so upset, he would take time to bask in this moment. He rarely catches Merlin off guard. 

“He tells me that he works nights sometimes to help his friend’s father…but he never has the money to show for it. I don’t have exact days written down, of course, but I think they might coincide with the nights before the paintings appeared. He injured himself, he says, falling from a ladder when he was painting…and I think this is partially true. I believe he was working on a mural and he fell. He has the painting Child in a Straw Hat by Mary Cassatt as the wallpaper on his phone. He says it’s because it resembles his little sister – which it does – but what young man his age has a work of art on their phone? He also told me that as a child he wanted to be an artist when he grew up, but he couldn’t afford to go to art school.” Harry sighs. “He had bright yellow paint on his trainers…the same color that’s in the sunflower painting.”

“Bloody hell,” Merlin murmurs. “Well…what would ye like to do about it?”

Harry smiles, appreciating the fact that Merlin’s allowing him to make the decision. He knows Merlin could easily go to Chester with this information and report Eggsy as a suspect. “I need a tracker. Before I can make any sort of accusation, I need proof.”

“Aye. Ye will have it before ye leave today.” Merlin shakes his head. “I cannae believe ye were the one to figure this out when I could not…although I should nae be surprised. Ye always had the luck of the devil.” Harry snorts. “I’m sorry, Harry.” His tone is gentler, kinder.

“Me too, Merlin,” Harry says almost wistfully. “At least we didn’t…it’s not like I had a chance with the boy anyway.”

“Old fool,” Merlin comments, getting up and walking away.

 

Harry hands Eggsy the last few bites of their shared blueberry muffin. “I’m afraid I’ll be gone for the next week or so,” he says. “Duty calls yet again.”

“Where you jet-setting off to this time?” Eggsy asks with a grin. Harry cannot stop looking at him. The sparkling green eyes, the beautiful face. The shy way he looks at Harry when he thinks Harry doesn’t notice. His body aches for Eggsy at the same time his heart is breaking. 

“Rome.”

“Rome?” Eggsy’s mouth drops open. “I’d probably give my right testicle to go there…the art and sculpture? Jesus.”

“Well, I will take as many photos as I can,” Harry promises. 

Once they’re finished and go out of the coffeehouse, Eggsy pulls Harry in for another hug. “Be safe,” he murmurs against Harry’s shoulder.

Harry cups the back of Eggsy’s head, pressing the tracker to the skin at the top of his spine. As he’s doing this he steps on Eggsy’s foot, distracting him from the sting of the tracker pushing into his skin. “I’m terribly sorry!” Harry pulls away. “Did I hurt you?”

“Nah, got nine other toes,” Eggsy says with a grin. “See ya when you're back?”

“I hope so,” Harry says faintly. He watches Eggsy walk away.

 

Three days later Harry is awakened in the middle of the night by the ping of his glasses. He yawns and reaches for them, poking them onto his face and saying, “Galahad here.” He’s not in Rome. He’s in his own bed in London. He needed an excuse to stay away from Eggsy so they could track him and it’s the hardest thing he’s ever done. He’s been haunting Merlin’s office every day waiting for information about Eggsy. They know his address and what other places he frequents, such as the home of his friend Jamal. Harry wants nothing more than to go to Eggsy’s flat and break Dean Baker in half, now that he knows where he lives.

“Harry…it’s Eggsy,” Merlin says. “I programmed the tracking software to let me know if Eggsy goes anywhere after midnight, and he did tonight. He was in a factory district…and stayed in one place for over two hours.”

“Fuck.” Harry falls back onto his pillow. “He’s probably painting.”

“He WAS painting. There are enough security cameras there that I could get a visual before he disabled them. It was him…and he was working on the wall of an abandoned factory.”

“I see.” Harry’s not sure what to do, but Merlin’s next words solve his dilemma.

“I wasn’t the only one that saw him. Apparently one of the factories has a security guard actually walking the perimeter. He saw Eggsy and called the police. He’s been taken in.”


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

Harry sits straight up in bed. “What?”

“He was brought in, Harry.”

“Oh my God.” Harry buries his face in his hands. “All right.” He takes a deep breath. “Can you get eyes and ears inside the station?”

“Of course I can.” Merlin sounds almost insulted.

“Right. I’m going to shower and get dressed and I’ll meet you at the office.”

“Like I’m coming back into the office for this.”

“Like you’re not there already.” Harry hangs up and heads for the en suite.

 

When Harry arrives at HQ at half-four, Merlin has tea ready in his office. “Thank Christ.” Harry gratefully takes the cup and sits down. “What do we know?”

“Not much. He was brought in for questioning, and they’re still questioning him. They all but caught him red-handed but they want to make sure he wasn’t working with anyone else. They seem to find it hard to believe he could be doing this on his own.”

“He’s quite brilliant,” Harry says quietly. They sit and sip at their tea.

“What are we going to do about this?” Merlin asked.

“WE don’t have to do anything. I will take care of this. I’m going to speak with Chester as soon as he’s in and tell him we need to get Eggsy out of jail.”

“Are ye out of your mind?” Merlin stares at him in shock.

“I know it’s a grave misuse of Kingsman assets but I’m going to do it.”

“That is nae what I was talking about. I meant YOU trying to get CHESTER to agree to anything like this…especially when it’s a young boy of limited means and no family. Ye will barely get the words out before he tears you apart.” Merlin sighs. “I, of course, will rise to the occasion and do something spectacular…I’ll help you talk him into it.”

 

By the time Chester arrives at half-eight Harry and Merlin have gone through three pots of tea and discussed every possible option. “If ye just let me take the lead, Galahad, perhaps we can get him to understand.”

“Of course, Merlin,” Harry says wearily. He knows that technically he and Eggsy are nothing but friends. They’ve eaten breakfast together maybe a dozen times, had lunch once. But Harry feels a connection like nothing he’s ever known, and he cannot let them throw Eggsy into prison without hearing some sort of explanation. 

Merlin calls Chester and requests to speak with him, and by 9:15 they’re seated in Chester’s office. Harry’s never liked the place Chester has carved out as his own at HQ; the room is dark and heavy and completely unwelcoming…not unlike Chester himself. “Thank you for seeing us, Arthur,” Merlin says politely as Chester motions for them to sit.

“Well, the two of you so rarely request to be in my presence, I figured it was important.” Chester makes himself tea but does not offer them any. Harry frowns. Obviously Chester plans on this being a short meeting. 

“There’s been…some developments with the Rex situation,” Merlin begins. “A suspect is in custody as we speak…was picked up overnight.”

“Wonderful news!” Chester beams at him. He frowns at Harry. “Although I would have expected you to be on top of this, Galahad.”

Before Harry can open his mouth Merlin says, “Actually, Arthur, he was. Galahad put a few pieces together and came to me about it yesterday. Before we could decide the best course of action the young man was taken in.”

“The last time we spoke you had no idea how to proceed, Galahad. What happened?” Chester demands.

Harry looks at Merlin, who nods at him. “A few months ago I met a young man at a coffeehouse. A purely random meeting, I assure you. We began talking, and started meeting on a regular basis. He was simply a nice young man I befriended, and then I recently began to put two and two together. I assure you that I was not withholding any pertinent information...I didn’t realize it myself until just the other day.”

“So you’ve been fucking this Rex?” Chester snaps.

Harry closes his eyes and counts to ten. “No, I have not. As I said, we were friends. Nothing more,” he finishes almost sadly. Merlin rolls his eyes in a not so subtle manner.

“Merlin, we need to contact the police and find out exactly who this man is. We need to decipher his connection to Kingsman and…”

“Pardon the interruption, but we dinnae need to do that,” Merlin says quickly. “We know who he is, and how he is connected to Kingsman.” Chester makes an impatient motion for him to continue. “His name is Gary Unwin, but he goes by Eggsy.”

“Eggsy.”

“Aye. His father was Lee Unwin.”

Chester looks confused. “Should I know that name?”

Harry clenches the arms of his chair. “Lee Unwin was the recruit who saved our lives in the Middle East all those years ago.”

“Ah yes. YOUR recruit, if memory serves. And now you’ve met his son? How convenient. Are you sure this meeting was a coincidence?”

Harry bites back a growl. “The only reason I was even in the particular neighborhood where I met Eggsy was because I was working on the assignment you’d given me. Therefore yes, it was an utter coincidence.”

“Obviously this is his connection to Kingsman, Arthur. Harry gave him the medal years ago, and he decided to use the symbol in his work for one reason or another,” Merlin says.

“To contact us?”

Harry really doesn’t understand how an absolutely idiot like Chester King became the head of an international spy organization. Talk about knowing the right people. “I highly doubt it, Arthur,” he manages to reply. “But I believe we should discuss it further with him, just in case.” He looks at Merlin.

“I will send messages through the proper channels, and Galahad will pick him up at the station later today.”

Chester looks shocked. “And do what with him?”

“Talk to him. Figure out what’s going on. Kingsman has obviously let the boy down in more ways than one, and I’d like to start remedying that.”

“We’ve done nothing of the sort. You gave the medal to the family…they could have used it.” 

“There’s a little thing called pride, Arthur. I’m sure you’re quite familiar with it,” Harry snaps.

“I will not waste Kingsman time and resources on a criminal from the Estates!”

“A moment ago you didn’t remember Lee’s name, but now you remember where he lived. Interesting,” Harry muses.

Merlin jumps in, giving Harry a dirty look. “He’s nae hurt anyone, Arthur. If anything, he improved the neighborhoods he worked in by making the more beautiful. It will nae do anyone harm if we get the boy released and talk to him.”

“I take full responsibility for him, Arthur,” Harry says quickly. “Merlin has nothing in the pipeline for me, he told me so just this morning,” he lies. To Merlin’s credit, he simply nods in agreement. “He’s a decent young man, Arthur. Kind and intelligent, and obviously quite talented.”

“Fine. Make sure to interrogate him and confirm your theories regarding his use of the symbol.” Chester opens his computer. “And if this becomes a bigger problem, Galahad, I am holding you personally responsible.”

“Understood, sir.” Harry stands, as does Merlin.

“Good day, gentlemen.”

Merlin sighs as they head down the hall. “Ye should nae bait him, Harry.”

“I cannot help it. He’s a pompous twat who does not deserve the title of Arthur.”

“But he has it, and we must respect the title, if not the man.” Merlin stops at his office. “I will make the appropriate connections as soon as possible. You should be able to pick your boy up around noon, I would think.”

“He’s not my boy,” Harry mutters. 

“Keep telling yourself that, Harry.”

 

Harry’s not quite sure what strings need pulled with the local police force to get a notorious criminal such as “Rex” released from custody, but Merlin apparently knows just how to manipulate these particular strings. Harry is nibbling at a sandwich and scrolling through his unfinished mission reports when his glasses ping. “Harry.”

“Merlin.”

“They’re filling out the final paperwork. He should be walking out the door in less than an hour.”

“Thank you.” The sandwich turns to sawdust in Harry’s mouth.

“He does nae have any idea as to why he’s being released…ye will have to explain all that.”

“I most certainly will,” Harry says confidently, although he isn’t quite sure how he’s going to do it. “I’m assuming you will give me clearance to stay home for a few days?”

“Of course, and…wait. Home? Ye are taking the lad to your house?”

“Yes.”

“Ye have mentioned multiple times that ye never take them home.”

“I believe you are talking of the brief interludes I’ve had in the past…this is quite different.”

“Aye,” Merlin agrees, and Harry can hear the smile in his voice.

“Oh, do be quiet.” Harry terminates the connection.

 

The number of butterflies in Harry’s stomach puts the amount on his walls to shame as he exits the cab and walks the short distance to the station entrance. This is probably the worst idea he’s ever had, but he cannot let Eggsy go. Cannot let him sink into the nightmare that is the British justice system. He knows Eggsy is strong and can take care of himself, but he cannot bear the thought of that sunshiny disposition becoming eclipsed by the possible years of incarceration. What he’d said to Chester was true…they owe it to Eggsy, to Lee’s memory, to do something for him. And Harry wants to be the one to do it. He’s not sure where this day will lead, but at least he’ll see Eggsy again…and this time he can be honest with him.

He’s leaning against a wall, glasses tinted dark due to their exposure to the sun, when Eggsy finally comes wandering down the stairs. He looks leery and exhausted, glancing over his shoulder multiple times as if expecting to be yanked back into the station. He’s wearing jeans and a snapback and looks like a teenager. Harry blinks as he sees a familiar medal hanging at the neckline of Eggsy’s polo. “Eggsy…would you like a lift home?” Harry calls out.

Eggsy turns around and gasps. “Harry?”

“Good afternoon.” Harry comes down the steps to stand in front of him, Rainmaker tucked in the crook of his arm. 

“Harry, I dunno…I didn’t…fuck.” Eggsy sighs miserably. 

“I know, Eggsy,” Harry says softly.

“No, ya don’t…ya gotta understand, I…”

“I must assure you, I do know.” Harry reaches out and lightly touches the circle of metal. “I’m the one that gave you this when you were a young boy.” 

The pink lips fall open as Eggsy studies Harry’s face. “But Mum…my mum told me it belonged to my Da, she kept it for me.”

“This is not the place to discuss such things. May I escort you to my home?”

“Uh, yeah…sure…” Eggsy says faintly. Harry walks away without looking back, but is relieved to hear quick steps following close behind.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry sees Eggsy’s eyes widen as they approach the Kingsman cab. “Jesus, Harry, this your car?”

“Not really. It’s one of a fleet of cabs available to Kingsman agents.” He opens the door. “In you go.”

Eggsy waits until they’re moving before he says, “Didya say Kingsman agents?”

“I did.”

“What’s a Kingsman agent? Is that like MI-6 or CIA or sommat?”

“Hardly,” Harry snorts. He’d framed his statement in that particular manner to gauge how much Eggsy knows about Kingsman. Apparently the answer is ‘nothing.’

“Harry, about the painting…I…”

“That can wait until we get home, Eggsy, if you don’t mind.”

“All right.” Eggsy frowns and studies him, still clutching the medal in his hand. “But what IS Kingsman, Harry?”

“Again, let’s just wait until we’re home. We’re almost there.” Harry stares out the window.

They arrive in front of his home and he thanks the driver. “Wow…your place is nice. Sorta expected someone like you would live somewhere like this,” Eggsy comments as Harry unlocks the door.

“Someone like me?”

“Ya know. Posh and perfect,” Eggsy blurts out, and Harry blushes.

“Well, I don’t know about all that.” He puts the Rainmaker in its stand and removes his coat. “How about a cup of tea while we talk?” Harry strides into the kitchen with Eggsy on his heels.

“Thanks,” Eggsy says faintly. He yawns as he sits at the table. “Christ, what a night. I’m fucking knackered. Filth’s good for running their mouths, tell ya that much.”

“Well, after we talk you can go up and take a nap. I’m sure you need it.”

“Sleep here?” Eggsy asks in surprise.

“Why of course. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t offer you a place to lay your head?”

“It’s just…I’m a criminal, Harry. This ain’t my first time getting picked up by the filth.” Eggsy hangs his head. “The likes of you don’t wanna get involved with the likes of me.”

“Oh, Eggsy.” Harry can’t stop himself. He puts a hand under Eggsy’s chin and tilts his face up. “The picture you have in your mind of ‘the likes of me’ is gravely skewed, I’m afraid.” He puts milk and sugar down before pouring them each a cup of tea. “But let’s not jump the gun. If I could ask…”

“You can ask me anything, Harry,” Eggsy says earnestly.

“Well. All right then.” Harry clears his throat. “Why did you put the Kingsman symbol in your work, Eggsy?”

“Kingsman symbol?”

“The circle with the horizontal K. It’s the symbol for the agency I work for.”

“Didn’t know it was a symbol for nothing special, of course. It just…it’s one of the few connections I have to my Da. Always knew it was related to him somehow, although I didn’t really remember how. I doubt he’d want me doing anything against the law, but it was like…it was like he was here with me, over my shoulder.” Eggsy sighs wistfully. “Always liked to think me and him woulda been friends, ya know? Done shite together…that he…he would been proud of me.”

“I’m sure he’d have been proud of you no matter what, Eggsy,” Harry says softly.

“Not like this…not the person I am now. Playing lookout fer Dean when he sells his drugs. Stealing shit when he says we need money.” Eggsy wipes at a tear. “Da woulda been real fucking proud of all that.”

“What does Dean say when he tells you to play lookout?”

“He says…he says, do it or I’ll fucking deck ya…give you a black eye instead of hitting ya where it don’t show,” Eggsy mutters.

“And when you need money…doesn’t some of it go to your sister as well, to her food and lodging?” Eggsy slowly nods. “Eggsy, my dear boy, you are only doing what you must to survive, and to take care of your sister. Any father would be incredibly proud of that.”

Eggsy wipes at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Harry vows. “If I could ask, Eggsy…do you really not remember me giving you that medal?”

Eggsy thinks for a moment. “Mum always just told me it was my dad’s, something from his military days. I used ta ask her about him all the time, ya know? Asked what he was like, asked her for stories about him. She’d get so mad and yell at me, tell me to stop asking questions. Dean hated when she talked about him, used to badmouth him every chance he got. But sometimes she’d let me hold it when he weren’t around. It didn’t have any name or nothing on it, so I would pretend all sorts of things…even that he was a prince or something and had to go rule his country.” Eggsy smiles at the memory. “I’d make up so many stories in my head about the medal, about him…always hoped maybe he’d come back to get it, that he wasn’t really dead.” Eggsy sighed. “But one of the things…the stories I thought I’d made up…a man came to tell us Da weren’t coming back,” Eggsy says slowly, reaching up to toy with the medal around his neck. He looks young and lost. “He made Mum cry…” Harry winces. “…and he said to use it if we needed help. He told me to take care of her. But she took the medal back, said she was gonna “keep it in a safe place” til I got old enough ta have it. Gave it to me when I turned sixteen. She just said it was something of my dad’s and she figured I’d want it.”

“I see.”

“But that wasn’t made up…that man was you.”

“Yes, Eggsy, that is how it happened.” Harry sighs. “And now that you have answered my question, I will answer one of yours. Kingsman is an independent international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion. It was formed after World War One. There were many rich men who’d lost their sons in the war, sons who would have inherited a great deal of money. Most of them were clothed by Kingsman Tailors. They decided to pool their money and influence for the greater good…and Kingsman the agency was born.” 

“Fuck me,” Eggsy whispers. He yanks the medal from his neck and stares at it. “So you…you’re…”

“Yes. I am a Kingsman agent, codename Galahad. Our agents are all named for knights of the Round Table, and Arthur runs the organization.”

“So you're not just a tailor…didn’t think ya were. You had something…something better than that,” Eggsy says, and the butterflies in Harry’s stomach start to tumble a bit. “The way you carry yourself, the way you always looked around the coffeehouse before ya sat. The way ya looked everyone in the eye who passed us at the park.”

“Impressive observational skills, Eggsy,” Harry says with a grin.

“There’s a reason Dean makes me the lookout,” Eggsy says simply. He thinks for a moment. “So…when you was going out of town for work…it wasn’t tailor work. It was missions or whatever.”

“Yes. I was an active agent the entire time. Needless to say Arthur was quite concerned when the Kingsman symbol started appearing in your artwork. When not on a mission I was assigned to try and find you to ascertain how much you knew about us and how you knew it.”

Eggsy’s face falls. “So…so I was your assignment?”

“Yes.”

“So…offering me a seat, and meeting me all the time. I was…I was your job?”

“No!” Harry actually jumps to his feet. “Absolutely not, Eggsy. Please believe me. I was in the neighborhood visiting a local paint shop to discuss the possibility that the paint ‘Rex’ used might have been purchased there. I was too early and stopped in for a coffee and breakfast. Meeting you…it was just a lovely coincidence.” Eggsy still looks unhappy. “Spending time with you has…it’s been some of the happiest times of my life.” Eggsy turns deep red. “It was only on the day of our picnic that I put two and two together and realized your ‘secret identity,’ as it were. I had my suspicions and…well…I placed a tracker on you.”

“A tracker?” Eggsy looks horrified.

“Yes. I am very sorry, Eggsy, but needs must in such a situation. It was only to follow your activities, and then in the meantime Merlin informed me who you were. Your name always struck me as something familiar, you see, and then when you told me your last name was Unwin and not Baker, we realized that we knew your father.”

“Merlin?”

“Our technical wizard, our quartermaster…my best friend.” Harry knows Merlin is listening in on this entire conversation, and he can just see him rolling his eyes.

“So you knew my dad? You and this…Merlin?”

“We did. We…we were with him when he died.”

“Oh.” Eggsy’s voice is small. Harry reaches over to take Eggsy’s hand.

“Eggsy, please know that your father was a hero, plain and simple. He was in the training program to become a Kingsman knight.” Eggsy gasps. “He was with Merlin and I and another recruit, James, in the Middle East. We had someone in custody, and he had a bomb. Merlin and I didn’t see it, and James was still learning, you see. But your father was so very bright, so quick. He saw the bomb and jumped on it, and the enemy, before we knew what was happening. He saved us all.”

“My da was a hero,” Eggsy whispers.

“Yes, my boy.”

“So he woulda been even MORE disappointed in me, then. What kinda man have I turned out to be?” Eggsy says bitterly.

“Eggsy,” Harry says, shaking his head. “Tell me, Eggsy, why did you do the paintings?”

“Told ya, always loved art. It was my escape when kids made fun of me for not having a Da, or for the cheap clothes I wore, or the neighborhood I grew up in. It was a way to escape from Dean, from his hands and his words. Started small, little pictures on walls, but I came back around and heard people talking, saying how nice they were and that they brightened the place up a bit. I decided I could give that to the people in those neighborhoods…make ‘em pretty and all.”

“Well, there is nothing to be ashamed of in all that. I saw how tired you always were, and I know the hours and hours of work that went into it. You have a generous soul, Eggsy Unwin.”

“Wasn’t doing this to break the law on purpose or nothing, Harry,” Eggsy says. “Swear down.”

“I know, dear boy. I know.” Harry gets up. “More tea?”

“Ya keep calling me that, Haz.” Harry freezes. “Dear boy…your darling boy…”

“Is it offending you? I do apologize. I suppose I didn’t…”

“No. Ain’t offending me at all.” Harry hears the chair push away from the table, and then Eggsy’s pressed up against his back. “You got me outta jail, didn’t you?”

“Well, as I said, Arthur was concerned about your intel and motives. Merlin was the one who made it happen, actually.”

“But Merlin wasn’t outside the station. You were. I was so fucking happy to see you.”

“I’m glad.” Harry swallows hard.

Eggsy doesn’t move and Harry can feel his breath against the back of his neck. “Was petrified, too. So worried that you were gonna read me the riot act…tell me how disappointed you was in me. And I’d hate that, Harry, knowing you was disappointed in me. What you think…it means everything to me.”

Harry slowly turns around, realizing that Eggsy has a hand on either side of him, effectually pinning him to the counter. “It does?”

“Yeah.” Eggsy clears his throat. “Know…know we never said nothing, kept everything officially all friendly like, but…I care about you, Harry. Like a lot. I know you would never see nothing like that in me, I’m just some chav kid ya took pity on and offered a chair to. But…every text, every time we met…best part of my day, swear down.”

“What?” Harry whispers.

Eggsy obviously misunderstands. “Don’t wanna make you uncomfortable or nothing, but I had to tell ya. And it ain’t just cuz you got me out of jail. I felt this way long before.” Eggsy shrugs and starts to move away. “Just had to tell you.”

“No. Wait.” Harry grabs at Eggsy’s waist to stop him. Eggsy looks down at his hands and then up into his eyes. “Eggsy, as I said, our meeting was purely coincidence. I took one look at you, saw how tired and weary and absolutely stunning you were, and I needed to talk to you, need to find out more about you. That’s why I offered you a seat. And then I got to know you, and through the days and weeks I…well…I fell in love with you.” Eggsy gasps. “I knew you could never possibly return my feelings, and decided I was fine going along as we were. And then I made the connection between you and the mystery artist, and I was simply crushed. I wasn’t sure what to do. For the first time in my professional career, I was torn between my duties as a Kingsman agent, and the depths of my heart.” Harry smiles almost shyly. “That’s what you did to me. But then Merlin informed me the police had you, and I could only think of one thing…that I would move heaven and earth to get you out.”

“Haz.” Eggsy’s hand trembles as he reaches up to touch Harry’s cheek. “You felt all that for me?”

“I most certainly did. I do,” he corrects. He turns his head and presses a kiss to the inside of Eggsy’s palm.

Eggsy stands on tiptoe, moves that hand into Harry’s hair, and pulls him in for a kiss. Harry actually sighs against his mouth, wrapping his arms around Eggsy and holding him close. The kisses are slow as they learn each other’s mouths and lips. When Eggsy’s tongue ventures inside his mouth Harry actually falls back against the counter, pulling Eggsy with him. In this slouched posture they are the same height, and Eggsy presses his body to Harry’s as his hand threads through Harry’s hair. 

“Fuck,” Eggsy manages when they come up for air. Harry chuckles and nuzzles into Eggsy’s throat.

“Indeed.”

“So…now what.” Eggsy kisses him once more and steps back a bit. “I’m still a criminal, and you're still a posh gentleman spy.”

“Very true.” Harry takes a deep breath. “I…” He stops talking and pulls Eggsy in for another kiss. Eggsy laughs and kisses him again, long and hard. “I do apologize,” Harry finally manages. “I’ve wanted to do that for ever so long, and now, it seems, I cannot help myself.”

“Ain’t gonna say no to a snog from you, Harry.” Eggsy’s smile is bright and glorious.

“Well, the things you mentioned, nothing can change them. So I believe you should go up and lay down, and we will talk about things once you’ve rested.”

“Haz!” Eggsy whines. “You can’t just tell me you love me and then send me up to bed!” Eggsy smiles slyly. “Unless you was gonna join me.”

“I’d love nothing more, my boy.” Harry’s eyes run over Eggsy’s gorgeous body. “However, I don’t feel rushing things is wise.”

“Probably not,” Eggsy says with a sigh. “But I mean it. I don’t wanna sleep. Not now. Not when you're…here.” He runs his hands over Harry’s chest and around his waist.

“Let’s compromise. I wish to change into something more comfortable, anyway. Why don’t you take a shower, I can lend you some sleep trousers, and you can nap. I will…I will lay in bed with you, if you’d like,” Harry offers almost shyly.

“I’d more than like,” Eggsy says. 

Harry takes his hand and leads him upstairs. He realizes what his house must look like to such a young pair of eyes. It’s fussy and full of odd antiques. Eggsy doesn’t say anything, just runs his hand along the railing as they go upstairs. He does smile when he enters the bedroom. “What?”

“This room looks like you.” It’s decorated in blues and greys and is Harry’s second-favorite room in his house. “It’s classy and comforting.”

“Well, thank you.” Harry grabs a pair of sleep trousers and hands them to Eggsy. “En suite is right there. Feel free to use any of my toiletries, towel is on the rack by the toilet.”

“Thanks.” Eggsy opens the door to the en suite. “Holy fuck!” 

Harry grins. This is his favorite room. The tub is huge with a separate shower, and it’s decorated in mint green. There’s a wireless stereo system that is voice-activated, and Harry has spent a lot of time here soaking and decompressing after missions. “You approve.”

“Come get me in a week and I’ll tell ya if I approve,” Eggsy says with a groan.

Harry heads back into the bedroom, still chuckling. He changes into a comfortable pair of trousers and a shirt before laying on top of the covers. Eggsy takes almost twenty minutes in the shower but Harry can’t really blame him. “Feeling better?” Harry asks as Eggsy appears. “Be careful you don’t trip.”

“Ain’t my fault your legs are sinfully long.” Eggsy climbs under the covers. “You don’t wanna get in here with me?”

“I would love nothing more, my boy, but once you are sleeping I have some things to attend to. But I promise I will not leave until you’re fast asleep.”

Eggsy snuggles close, one arm thrown over Harry’s waist. “Harry…I love you.”

“You needn’t say it just because…”

“Ain’t just because you said it. Felt it long before this. Weird, since we ain’t known each other that long, but yeah…love you.” He kisses Harry’s arm and is asleep almost instantly.


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

Harry lays in bed with Eggsy for almost two hours, simply watching him sleep. Occasionally he runs a hand over Eggsy’s hair, or touches his cheek. Eggsy sighs and burrows closer the first time Harry touches him, and every time Harry even thinks about getting up Eggsy seems to know it and pulls him closer. Harry finally manages to inch himself out of Eggsy’s embrace and tiptoes downstairs.

He makes another pot of tea and sits at the table, deep in thought. Now that he has Eggsy, what can he do for him? It can’t be avoided. He touches the side of his glasses. “Merlin, are you free?”

“What if I wasn’t? Would ye bloody care?”

“Of course I’d care. If you have a beautiful blond under your desk at this moment, giving you the best…”

“Enough, you perverted old fool,” Merlin snaps and Harry grins. “I see ye finally got your head out of your arse with the boy.”

“Is nothing sacred? Can you give me just one moment’s privacy?”

“I could, but I prefer not to. You’re better than anything on the telly and I can work and watch at the same time.”

“Bastard,” Harry mutters. 

“What can I do for ye, Harry?” Merlin says in a kinder tone.

“We need to decide what to do about Eggsy.”

“We?”

“Yes, we. There’s nothing for it…he’s going to come work for Kingsman.”

“Are ye daft, Harry?” Merlin gasps. “Chester will never allow it.”

“Chester’s not going to care because Chester’s not going to know,” Harry replies. “Well, I will meet with him tomorrow, explain why Eggsy used the Kingsman symbol. I will put his mind at ease and he will forget about the boy who would be Rex.”

“Harry, I cannae…”

“You’re not going to do anything untoward, Merlin. You’re going to hire him as part of the support staff.”

“Support staff?”

“Yes. You do all the hiring for the staff, not Chester. He only cares about the knights, and obviously we won’t be suggesting Eggsy for that. Not that I don’t think he could handle it, but…”

“Ye dinnae like the idea of sending him into danger,” Merlin finishes. “Ye are a big softie, Harry Hart.”

“Oh, do fuck off,” Harry snaps. “He can take one of the rooms downstairs at HQ, that way he’ll have somewhere safe to live. This stepfather of his…I don’t trust him any farther than I could throw him. I have a feeling he’d be quite suspicious once Eggsy starts bringing in his own money on a regular basis. He’d also probably try to take it. Support staff are permitted to live on site if they wish.”

“And just what career opportunities would I be giving the lad?”

“I don’t know. You can find something. He’s obviously artistic. He’s also intelligent, and in good shape.” Merlin snorts and Harry blushes. “You’ve seen the results of the tests he took upon entering the Marines. He could be useful in so many ways.”

“Perhaps as Galahad’s right-hand man?” Merlin teases.

“Do try to contain yourself, Merlin…this is a young man’s future we are discussing. Chester signs off on your hiring slips all the time without looking twice. I don’t care if Eggsy is refueling the cars in the garage…please just find him a job.”

“So…I’d be doing this as a favor to ye?”

“Yes,” Harry almost whines in frustration.

“So…ye would owe me.”

“Christ, yes!”

“Excellent.” Harry can almost see Merlin rubbing his hands together with glee. “Very well then. Ye should bring him in tomorrow. Ye have told him everything, but seeing it is another matter entirely. Obviously we can trust his discretion…his activities over the past few months have proven his ability to keep a secret.”

“Yes. He is…quite remarkable.” Harry prepares another cup of tea.

“And there it is.”

“There WHAT is?”

“Harry, what’s on your mind?”

“What ARE you on about, Merlin?”

“The boy’s future employment was not the only reason for your call.”

Harry sighs. Merlin has always been able to see right through him. “I…I feel I’ve made a grave mistake.”

Merlin pauses for a moment. “Explain.”

“The last twenty-four hours have been insane for both of us, and I’m afraid we might have rushed into things without thinking.”

“Such as…”

“He said he loved me, Merlin.”

“Well, perhaps I need to rethink hiring him, because he’s obviously got some issues.”

“Adorable,” Harry says dryly. “He said he loved me…and I, of course, said it first. And I meant it. But his place is not with me. He’s young…half my age. And so beautiful and strong and intelligent. He has such a good heart. I’m old and weary and just…broken. The good parts of me…well…I think they’re long gone. I will only hurt him in the end.”

“Harry Hart, ye are being ridiculous. Ye sound like one of those melodramas my mother used to watch. Ye are not the police…kissing up to ye is nae going to get the lad anywhere. His feelings are sincere…I’d bet my life on it. Ye have earned those feelings.”

“But it’s my fault his father…”

“Don’t, Harry.” Merlin’s voice is dark. “Dinnae even think it. Lee’s death was nae anyone’s fault but the bastard with the grenade.”

“Eggsy deserves everything,” Harry almost whispers. “He belongs in a lovely flat, decorated for a man of his generation…not a stuffy old prick with a silver spoon up his arse. He belongs around his friends, with a nice young man closer to his age. I’m not right for him. We’re not right together.”

“Harry?”

Harry whirls around and slaps the side of his glasses. “Eggsy…why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Can’t sleep all day or I won’t sleep tonight.” Eggsy pads into the kitchen on bare feet, one hand holding the pajama bottoms at the waist. “Was…was you talking to yourself, Harry?”

“No. I was talking to Merlin.”

“Merlin…ya know he ain’t here, right?” Eggsy’s looks worried. “Tell me, Harry, is there REALLY a Kingsman agency?”

Harry has to laugh. “Yes, Eggsy, there is. I’m not insane, I promise you that.” Harry puts the glasses on Eggsy’s face and touches the side. “Merlin, do say hello to Eggsy.”

Harry sees Eggsy’s eyes widen. “H-hello, Merlin, sir. Y-yes, sir. I look forward to it. Tomorrow. Yes.” He hands the glasses back to Harry. “Fucking hell, Harry!”

“Yes, it’s quite fun, isn’t it?” Harry folds the glasses and puts them on the table.

“Harry…you…you don’t want me?”

“What?”

“Heard you…you don’t think we belong together?” Eggsy looks as if he might cry. “You was telling Merlin…you don’t wanna be with me?”

“Oh, my darling boy, I want it more than anything. I want to take you on dates, I want to sit and eat curry with you on the sofa, I want to fall asleep with you in my arms. But I feel like you’re losing out on so much.”

“Harry.” Eggsy drapes himself on Harry’s lap. “I ain’t losing out on anything. This ain’t why I wanna be with you…but I got nothing. Got my sister, but she’s only a baby. Got a mum who drinks too much, and a stepdad who would like nothing more than to see the back of me. Some days…some days when I saw you at the coffeehouse, I was wasting time there cuz I had nowhere else to go. Owner would let me nod off at a table if they weren’t busy…cuz I didn’t wanna go home.” Eggsy gives Harry a tender kiss. “That’s why you was the highlight of my day, Harry. You gave me hope that there were people out there who didn’t hit, who didn’t try to get something for nothing. Someone who didn’t just try to take advantage of you.”

“Oh, my sweet boy,” Harry whispers, kissing him. “I feel that everything you’ve been through is my fault. Your father…”

“My father’s dead, Harry,” Eggsy says solemnly. “And you busting your own arse about it ain’t gonna bring him back. I don’t blame ya cuz I really…I really didn’t know him, did I? Barely got memories of him. Won’t never blame you, so please, stop blaming yourself.” He buries his face in Harry’s neck. “If you don’t want me cuz I’m young and uneducated and clueless about manners and shite, then tell me. But otherwise…please don’t throw me away.”

“Never.” Harry holds him tight. “Never.”

They sit that way for a long moment before Eggsy says, “So, your buddy Merlin said I’m coming in to meet him tomorrow?”

“Yes. I thought…I would never presume to make decisions for you, darling, but I thought perhaps we could find you a job at Kingsman.”

Eggsy sits up so fast he almost hits Harry in the face. “A job at Kingsman?”

“Yes. Not as an agent, I’m afraid. Arthur is quite serious about the pedigree of his knights. But there are so many many other jobs…from the kitchen to the garage to the kennel to…”

“Kennel?” Eggsy perks up. “You got dogs?”

“Yes. The trainees are given puppies to look after, and they are raised and looked after in the kennel.”

“Always wanted a dog,” Eggsy says wistfully. 

“Merlin will speak to you and decide where you’d be the best fit. He hires all the support staff. You’d have a room at HQ...many of the staff live there full time.”

“Would I get to see you? I mean, I don’t gotta stay there all the time? I can see my sister?”

“Of course you may come and go as you please, but as you can imagine, Eggsy, you can never tell her OR your mother about who you really work for. You would tell them you work for Kingsman Tailors.”

“Course! Would never think of telling them,” Eggsy vows. 

“And as for seeing me…I do hope to see as much of you as possible. As you well know…I come and go quite often.” And there’s the other shoe dropping. He’s an active agent going on dangerous missions at a moment’s notice. Eggsy will soon get tired of that, Harry’s certain.

“Do…does anyone there know that you’re…gay?” Eggsy asks timidly.

“Let me explain something to you.” Harry shifts Eggsy onto his own chair. “Agents are required to sometimes do what’s called a honeypot mission, where they seduce a man or woman to get intel, or plant recording devices.”

“You…ya might hafta sleep with someone else?” Eggsy looks devastated.

“I rarely have to do those sort of assignments now…obviously I’m not in my prime.”

“Obviously fucking nothing…you're fucking gorgeous,” Eggsy says stubbornly and Harry blushes.

“Well...thank you, my boy. At any rate, while we take whatever mission we’re most qualified for, our sexuality is discussed at great length when we become official Kingsman agents. Obviously they’re going to try to have a gay man seduce another man, although on occasion I have had to work with a woman.”

“Didya like it?”

“It was…tolerable,” Harry admits. “Not my preference.”

“Slept with three birds,” Eggsy offers. “Cuz I was trying to prove something to myself. Didn’t really like it…preferred blokes.”

“Thankfully.”

“And now I prefer you.” Eggsy takes Harry’s hand and kisses it. Harry sighs. “The reason I asked if they knew…I was just wondering if I was allowed…if, like, when you came back from a mission, if I was allowed to come see you and all. Gonna miss you like hell.”

“Well, you’ll be quite busy at the beginning, learning your way around. We won’t cross that bridge until we reach it, and I am not one for public displays of affection, but…” Harry smiles at him. “If I’m gone on a mission and a certain beautiful boy was waiting to greet me upon my return…let’s just say I would be quite pleased.”

Eggsy giggles a bit and smiles at him. “So…now what?”

“I thought we might do a bit of shopping. Once a decision is made about your job we can retrieve your things from your flat, but I thought you might like something to wear tomorrow to HQ.”

“Cuz I don’t look good enough.” Eggsy hangs his head.

“No, darling, because your jeans have paint on them,” Harry says, and Eggsy laughs sheepishly.


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

“I don’t know about this, Harry.” Eggsy swallows hard as he stares up at the window of Kingsman Tailors. “I don’t even belong in there, and it’s not a real shop.”

“Oh, I assure you, it is. They’ve been serving the gentlemen of London for hundreds of years. We sell suits and other accessories, but they’re not bulletproof.” Harry leans in. “Unlike the suits of an agent.”

Eggsy’s mouth falls open. “Your suits are fucking bulletproof?” He whispers. 

Harry nods and smiles at him. “You look perfectly fine, and you’d look perfectly fine in your usual clothing as well.” He brushes a piece of imaginary lint off Eggsy’s shoulder, just so he can touch him. “Although this jumper brings out your eyes, and the trousers, well…they do accentuate that delectable arse of yours.”

“Harry,” Eggsy almost whines, blushing deep red.

Shopping with Eggsy was an absolutely delight, once Harry finally got him to stop protesting every five minutes. He didn’t like the fact that Harry was spending money on him although Harry assured him he was keeping receipts and Eggsy could repay him once he got his own paychecks (something Harry absolutely did NOT plan on allowing him to do). Then Eggsy complained about where Harry wanted to shop. “But they have perfectly lovely clothing here, dear boy.”

“But the prices…it’s more than a week’s worth of food!”

“I assure you we still will have money left over to fill my cupboards. Let me spoil you, please, darling?” Harry did everythin but pout and Eggsy fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Eggsy had insisted on his own trainers and Harry didn’t press the issue, knowing that Eggsy would be nervous enough as it was. He needed his own armor, so to speak, and Harry knew how much he loved his trainers. They’d had a lovely dinner afterward, and then after at least two hours of slow snogging complete with exploring hands while on the parlor sofa, they’d finally gone up to bed and fallen asleep in each other’s arms.

“Are…are you sure about this?” Eggsy asks. “Maybe there’s no place for me here.”

“Eggsy, you are intelligent. You are hard working. You are loyal. You have so much potential…and I think you can find a way to develop that potential here.”

“All right, Harry. I trust you.” Eggsy opened the door and actually held it for Harry to walk through.

“I’m with you all the way, my boy,” Harry murmurs. “Ah, Andrew. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Galahad.” The manager of the shop smiles at Harry and nods. “Good morning, sir.”

“Eggsy, this is Andrew. He’s been running the shop longer than I’ve been alive, I do believe.”

“Perhaps not that long,” Andrew says. “But almost.”

“Andrew, this is Eggsy Unwin. He will be coming to work for Kingsman in the warehouse.”

“I see. Welcome, Mr. Unwin.” Andrew holds out his hand.

“Eggsy, please, sir,” Eggsy says, shaking the hand and looking around. “Your shop is aces.”

“Why, thank you.” Andrew raises his eyebrows at Harry and grins. “I do believe Merlin is expecting you, sir.”

“Yes, he is. If you’d be so kind, please let him know we are on our way.”

“Yes, sir. A pleasure to meet you, Eggsy.”

“You too, Andrew.” 

Harry sets off at a brisk pace, leading Eggsy into the fitting room and placing his hand on the glass. “Simply a lift,” he tells Eggsy.

“Simply a lift my arse!” Eggsy gasps as the room begins to move.

Harry continues to speak, giving Eggsy little bits of information about Kingsman, but he knows Eggsy isn’t really paying attention. Harry doesn’t blame him. He hadn’t paid attention either, all those years ago. “I’m assuming you don’t get motion sickness?” Harry asks as he leaves the lift and heads for the train.

“Nah, I ain’t ever…holy fuck is that a train?”

“Come along,” Harry say simply. He waits for Eggsy to take a seat and then sits next to him. As the train lurches into motion, he reaches for Eggsy’s hand. “Are you all right, darling?” He kisses Eggsy’s fingers.

“Yeah, I just…I wanna make a good impression on your friend.”

“Merlin’s a big pussycat. Well, he’s more like a jungle cat, really, lithe and fierce and predatory…but once you get to know him? Pussycat.”

“Christ, Harry, that explanation ain’t helping none!”

Harry allows him a few moments for gaping through the window into the hangar. “Your father had a similar reaction…as did I,” he tells Eggsy. Eggsy gives him a smile and does everything but lick the glass. They head into HQ, Harry giving everyone they pass a polite “good morning.” He stops in front of Merlin’s door. “Here we go, my boy. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine. Not that I think you’d lie, but remember, Merlin knows a great deal about you.”

“Brilliant,” Eggsy mumbles. He follows Harry into the office once Merlin calls them in.

“Merlin…this is Eggsy Unwin.” Harry steps out the way as Merlin stands up to shake Eggsy’s hand. “Eggsy, this is Merlin. Not only the eyes and ears of Kingsman…as well as the brains…but my oldest and dearest friend.”

“A pleasure, lad,” Merlin says gruffly. Harry rolls his eyes behind Eggsy’s back. Merlin is dressed all in black today, presumably to make himself look more severe. Harry thinks it makes him look like a member of the walking dead.

“Pleased to meet you.” Eggsy fidgets nervously.

“Have a seat, Eggsy, I’ll make tea.” Harry goes over to the sideboard and starts preparing a tray.

“I do believe this is my office, Harry.”

“It is.” Harry brings them each a cup of tea, prepared exactly to their liking. He takes his own seat and smiles at Merlin. “So. Here we are.”

“Here we are.” Merlin turns his hazel eyes on Eggsy. “So, lad…ye have quite the talent for hiding under the radar.”

“I, well…it’s easy when you work at night,” Eggsy replies, glancing at Harry for encouragement. Harry smiles at him. “And, uh, the places I painted, you know, they ain’t exactly in the public eye much.”

“I see. Public enough to get on television, though. Is that what ye were aiming for?”

“No,” Eggsy snaps. Merlin’s eyes widen. “I weren’t trying to get noticed or whatever. I was just…I like to paint, all right? And those places were ugly and sad and the people living around them were sad. Thought I could throw some paint up, maybe make ‘em smile a bit when they saw it, is all.” Merlin remains stoic. “Sir,” Eggsy adds as an afterthought.

“We do important work here, Eggsy. We don’t have time for theatrics.” Harry snorts into his tea. “We hire people who obey and never question an order.”

“I was in the Marines. I understand about taking orders without thinking twice,” Eggsy points out. 

“Yes. About your time in the Marines.” Merlin opens a folder on his desk. Harry rolls his eyes again. Merlin rarely uses paper, preferring to have everything stored electronically. This is all for show. And Merlin calls HIM the peacock. “I see you couldn’t quite cut it. Your scores were exemplary, yet you decided to quit.”

“I didn’t ‘decide to quit.’ My mum decided that for me, didn’t she? Begging me to come home, saying she needed me. She was pregnant with my little sis, and she was afraid she’d lose me like she lost my dad. Didn’t quit fucking…didn’t quit anything,” he corrects. “Does it say all that in your little file?”

“I see.” Merlin leans back in his chair. “And what talents do you feel you could bring to Kingsman?”

Eggsy sighs. “Harry, I’m really sorry.” He turns to Merlin. “Look, I realize you're a big deal around here. I know this is like the most important job interview I’ll ever have, and I’m probably fucking it up just by opening my mouth. But I don’t appreciate you judging me the way you are. I care about Harry…care about him a lot. Respect him, too. I know this place is something special, and you help people all over the world. Gotta respect that as well. But just because I’m some dumb chav who quit the military to help his mum when she was up the duff…that don’t earn you the right to talk down to me like this. I got a lot of fucking talents. I’m smart, I’m strong, I’m creative, and I’m also the hardest fucking worker you will ever lay eyes on. I appreciate that you did what you did to get me out of jail, but I’m not gonna sit here and listen to this. You just keep being the little man in Harry’s ear, and I’ll go work at McDonald’s or sommat.” Eggsy stands up.

“Sit down, lad.” The words snap out like a whip and Eggsy silently sits back down. Harry studies his tea as he stirs it, unable to look Merlin in the eye. He knows if he does, he’ll start laughing and he cannot do that. Not even if what’s he’s observing is one of the most amusing things he’s seen in a long time. “I dinnae mean to offend ye. I apologize.” Eggsy’s mouth drops open. “I was just…trying to take your measure, if you will. In no way do I judge any of your personal decisions. I have nae lived your life, walked in your shoes. You’ve done what was required of ye…more than what was required, I’d say. I’ve done quite a bit of research.” Harry sees Eggsy wince. “Ye have had your run-ins with the law, true, but ye have never actually hurt anyone. And it doesn’t say this in your file, but I can easily assume that everything ye did was for your family…your mother and sister.”

“Yes, sir,” Eggsy whispers.

“Ye were correct. Kingsman IS something special, and we do our best to help the people of the world. Royalty. The rich. The poor. The chavs.” Merlin almost winks. “And every single person on our payroll gives one-hundred percent. I think ye would have no problem giving one-hundred percent.”

“No, sir.”

“Of course ye come to me with a glowing recommendation.” Merlin glances at Harry, who dips his head in acknowledgement. “And I must tell ye that one of the most important things is your ability to keep a secret. To most of the world, Kingsman simply does not exist.”

“I understand.”

“If I may speak frankly for a moment?”

Harry and Eggsy both blink at him. “Course, sir.”

“Your father was a good man, Eggsy. He was kind, he was strong, he had a large heart. Not unlike yourself.” Harry sees Eggsy blush. “I am so very sorry for your loss. I was present as well when he died, and…he sacrificed himself for us all. I wish…I wish we…Kingsman as well as myself…could have done something for ye before now.”

“I…thanks, sir. I…well, we didn’t call in that medal, did we? So no need for you to feel guilty.”

“Did you hear that, Harry?” Merlin turns to Harry.

“Loud and clear, Merlin.”

“All right, then.” Merlin drops his useless folder into a drawer. “Onto more pressing matters. I was nae joking when I asked about your talents…although I already have something in mind. Ye obviously paint and draw quite well.”

“Don’t really see that as a marketable skill, sir.”

“Hmmm.” Merlin gets a writing tablet from his drawer and hands it to Eggsy with a pen. He then brings up a paragraph of text on his wall screen. “Could ye please copy this down in your usual handwriting?”

“Course,” Eggsy says, giving him a strange look. He quickly jots the passage down and hands the tablet back.

“Obviously ye dinnae win any penmanship awards in school,” Merlin observes.

“Like you have room to talk, Merlin. Your handwriting is barely legible,” Harry points out.

“And that is why I prefer to communicate electronically,” Merlin replies. “Now, lad, please copy the same thing, but I wish ye to disguise your handwriting.”

“Disguise it?”

“Yes.”

Eggsy slowly takes the tablet, pauses, and then writes again, slower this time. He hands the tablet back. “Here ya go.”

“Excellent.” Merlin hands the tablet to Harry.

The first paragraph is a scribbled mess and Harry can barely make out the words. The second paragraph, however, is written in an elegant script, better than Harry’s own handwriting. “Remarkable.”

“It is very good.” Merlin puts the tablet away. “I wish to speak with you a bit more, Eggsy, but I think we have the perfect fit for ye. There are occasions when we need documents forged or altered. We also need to recreate works of art or even create background paintings for specific missions. I think ye would be an excellent addition to this apartment.”

Eggsy stares at him. “So, I…I’d get to like, paint or draw or write and get paid?”

“Aye,” Merlin says, finally allowing a smile to cross his face.

“That is fucking aces!” 

“Quite,” Merlin says, glancing at Harry. “Galahad, I do believe you are late for your appointment with Arthur.”

“Quite,” Harry repeats dryly. “Come along, Eggsy. I will…”

“Oh no no,” Merlin says quickly. “The lad will remain with me. We have many things to discuss.”

Harry slowly stands. “I don’t know about this,” he says uneasily. He knows Merlin will go easy on his boy, but he doesn’t like Eggsy being there on his own.

“I’ll be fine, Harry,” Eggsy promises. “He’s right…gotta lot to talk about, don’t we?”

“Very well. I suppose it’s all right.”

“Like ye have the right to say no,” Merlin points out.

“Well…I will be back as soon as I can.” Harry gives one more worried look in Eggsy’s direction and leaves the office.

He spends an hour in with Chester, who, thankfully, behaves exactly as Harry expected. He listens to Harry’s report and accepts that Eggsy Unwin is no threat to Kingsman. He gives approval for Merlin to officially close the file on the mission, and shoos Harry out of his office shortly after. He makes no suggestions as to Eggsy’s future, and doesn’t seem to care one way or another. Pompous arse.

Harry all but runs back to Merlin’s office, where he is surprised to meet one of the support staff just outside the door. “Good morning, Kenneth.”

“Good morning, Galahad,” Kenneth says respectfully. “Merlin has asked that I join you.”

“All right.” Harry allows Kenneth to enter the office first. “Everything going well in here?”

“Splendidly,” Merlin says with a grin. “I thought perhaps that Kenneth could give Eggsy a tour, show him where he’ll be staying, all of that.”

“Oh.” Harry can’t keep the disappointment from his voice. He was quite looking forward to showing Eggsy around Kingsman. “That would be nice, I suppose. You and I have a few things to talk about after all, Merlin.” He turns to Kenneth. “If I could make a request, Kenneth…I would prefer to take Eggsy to Victor’s department myself.”

“I understand, sir.” Kenneth said with a grin. He holds his hand out to Eggsy. “Kenneth.”

“Eggsy.” Eggsy stands and shakes it. “Everything all right with Arthur?” Eggsy frowns as he looks at Harry.

“Completely fine, my boy.”

“I’ll have him back in…” Kenneth looks at Merlin.

“Ninety minutes should suffice,” Merlin tells him.

“Very well.” Kenneth motions for Eggsy to go out the door, and they both leave.

“How DID everything go with Chester?” Merlin asks.

“As we expected. Went on a bit about how lucky the boy was to have us in his corner, getting him out of jail. He seems to have conveniently forgotten that we left the family to rot after Lee’s death.” Harry grimaces as he sits down. “I convinced him that the use of the symbol was purely, well, symbolic…meaning a connection to his late father. It took a bit more talking in circles, but I finally got it out of his head that Eggsy was sending a signal to some sort of enemy syndicate.” He sighs. “Really, Merlin, remind me again how in the world we are led by such a fool.”

“Theirs not to reason why…theirs but to do or die,” Merlin quotes. Harry huffs at him but knows Merlin agrees with his opinion of Chester King.

“So…is everything settled for him, then?”

“Ye made it this far into the conversation before ye asked about that? I’m impressed,” Merlin says. Harry glares at him. “Yes. If ye can handle having him as a houseguest for another day or two until he can pack up his belongings, he will then move into HQ. I will have him start training with Vanessa and her staff in the Art and Document department immediately.”

“Excellent.” Harry cannot help but beam with joy. Finally, after all these years, Kingsman is taking care of Eggsy Unwin.

“I do have something to tell ye,” Merlin says, a wicked gleam in his eye. “I know ye wished to laugh when the boy was berating me.”

“I am sorry. I did my best to hide it, although hearing him call you ‘the little man in my ear’ was most definitely the high point of my week.”

“Well, I just might have taken it upon myself to rock the pedestal he has ye on.” Merlin leans back and waits.

“What did you tell him?” Harry asks suspiciously.

“Just that ye are not as wonderful as he thinks…might have told him about that mission in Prague.”

“We don’t talk about the mission in Prague. The mission in Prague never happened.”

“Right…because no one likes to relive knocking themselves out after shooting their way through a room full of men.”

“The doorway was much lower than I expected,” Harry complains. “Why did you tell him?”

“It was all true, correct? I figured he should know that his perfect Harry wasn’t perfect…although it backfired on me, didn’t it? He still seems to think you hung the moon.” 

“It would seem so.” Harry cannot keep from smiling.

“It’s quite disgusting…he’s completely gone over ye.” Merlin shakes his head. “But he seems like a good lad, Harry. Bit of a chip on his shoulder, but it’s understandable, with the life he’s had. Hopefully he can start to turn himself around a bit.”

“I do not doubt he will be a remarkable asset to Kingsman.”

“You’ll be quite insufferable, won’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

 

Kenneth returns Eggsy at the agreed upon time, and Harry takes him to the dining room for lunch. They sit at a small table by the window and Eggsy chatters throughout the meal, talking about the garage, the gun range, the obstacle course. “Do…do you think maybe I could use that stuff, Harry? Was a good shot in the Marines, would love to practice now and then.”

“I’ve seen your scores. You were more than a ‘good shot,’ Eggsy,” Harry says and Eggsy blushes. “You can also use the obstacle course as well as the fitness center any time you like. It will only benefit Kingsman if you keep yourself in shape.”

“And how about you?”

“Me?”

“Will it benefit you if I keep myself in shape?”

“Oh, Eggsy,” Harry sighs, noticing the glint in Eggsy’s green eyes. “I think it will benefit us both.”

After their meal Harry leads Eggsy outside and down the path to the kennel, although he doesn’t tell him it’s where they’re going. “This place is beautiful,” Eggsy says with a little sigh. “Ain’t never spent much time in the country. It’s so quiet and clean. I like it.”

“I’m glad,” Harry says, although he realizes he doesn’t spend near enough time appreciating it himself. He knows Eggsy will be opening his mind to all sorts of things he hadn’t noticed before.

They hear barking as they approach the kennel, and Eggsy’s ears actually seem to perk up. “Is…izzat dogs?”

“I do believe it is.” Harry opens the door and Victor appears immediately. “Victor, how are you?”

“Just fine, Galahad, and yourself?”

“Fine, thank you. Victor, this is Eggsy. He is a new hire in the Art department, but I thought, perhaps, he could come and help you in his free time.” Eggsy’s face lights up like a Christmas tree.

“I can always use the help. Do you like dogs, Eggsy?”

“Love them, although I could never have one.”

“Well, we have plenty to spare. They’re having play time right now.” Victor leads the way into the huge pen. “Go on in, they won’t bite.” 

Eggsy looks at Harry, who nods. Eggsy steps into the pen and is immediately pounced upon by all six puppies. They take him down and he lays on the ground laughing too hard to get back up. Harry smiles with satisfaction and leans on the fence, watching his boy joyously roll around with the puppies.

 

That evening Harry’s waiting in bed for Eggsy as he reads through some documents for his next mission. Eggsy comes out of the en suite in a pair of properly fitting pajama bottoms, purchased on their shopping trip. He stands by the bed and looks down at Harry. “What is it, darling?”

“Wanna draw you some day,” Eggsy says decidedly. He crawls into bed and puts his head on Harry’s lap.

“Like one of your French girls?” Harry teases. Eggsy looks up at him in confusion. “You’ve not seen “Titanic” I suppose?” Eggsy shakes his head. “Never mind, then. Why would you want to draw me?”

“Cuz you're gorgeous.” Eggsy gets up and climbs to sit on Harry’s lap. “And you’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Eggsy, I highly doubt…”

“You are. You got me outta jail…”

“Merlin did that.”

“You got me a fantastic job…”

“You did that for yourself.”

“Oh, shut it and kiss me, old man.”

And Harry does.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that's given me kind words and comments on this fic. And thank you to mmouse15 for the inspiration! You can always find me on tumblr at zebraljb.

“We shall be landing in thirty minutes, Agent Galahad.” The voice comes over the loudspeaker of the jet and Harry smiles. He presses the button to open the connection into the cockpit.

“Thank you, Edward. I will buckle in shortly.”

Harry organizes his papers and gets everything in order so he may leave the jet as quickly as possible. He’s been on a three-week mission to Argentina and he’s exhausted. He’s also eager to see his boy. So eager, actually, that he’s able to forget his exhaustion just by thinking of him.

It’s been fourteen months since he’d brought Eggsy to Kingsman, and now it’s as if he’s always been there. He’d taken to the Art Department like a duck to water, and of course everyone loves him. Harry had been just a bit concerned; while Vanessa was a fair and honest woman, she was also a bit of a snob when it came to art. Merlin had been quite honest with her regarding Eggsy’s background and she was quite ready to turn up her nose at him…politely. But then she attempted to quiz Eggsy, trying to prove his ignorance by asking about Monet vs Manet vs Degas. He held his own and she was quite impressed. Soon after, just like everyone else, she fell in love with him and his obsession with art. Whenever Harry tried to find him for lunch he was always surrounded by members of the Art Department or, more often, mechanics from the garage. His boy loved cars as much as he loved art, and Harry had almost had a heart attack when he found out they were allowing him to take the cars around the track whenever he wanted.

“The Merc, Harry…it was incredible! And an Aston Martin. I got to drive a fuckin’ Aston Martin!” Eggsy crowed one day. He was so overjoyed that Harry didn’t have the heart to admit it was scaring the hell out of him to watch it.

Cars were a hobby, of course, and Art and Puppies were his job. Harry actually would be hard pressed to decide which came first for Eggsy…painting, puppies or petrol. Victor was extremely pleased with the way Eggsy cared for the Kingsman dogs. He deferred to Victor on all things, but when it came time to give the dogs a little TLC, however, Eggsy was most definitely in charge. There was only one complaint.

“Galahad, might I have a word?” Merlin said one day, coming through on Harry’s desk computer.

“Of course, Merlin. Do you need me to come down?”

“Nae, ye may stay there. There’s been a…situation. With your boy.”

Harry frowned. He has kept true to his promise to take full responsibility for Eggsy no matter what, although up to this point he’s never had to. “A situation?”

“Yes. I don’t think he realizes there are cameras in all the suites and dorm rooms here.” Merlin could not hide his smile.

“Oh, for God’s sake, you idiot, just get on with it.”

“As ye wish.”

Merlin’s face disappeared and was replaced with video feed from Eggsy’s room. The room was empty but the door soon opened. “Shh,” Eggsy whispered to his coat. “Just hold on, all right?” He closed the door, locked it, and opened his jacket. He leaned over the bed and a puppy fell onto the duvet.

“What the bloody hell?” Harry muttered.

“It’s all right, little girl. Yes, I know you're scared, but ya don’t gotta be. You gotta lot of friends at the kennel.” Eggsy sat on his bed and picked up the beagle puppy. She licked his face and cuddled on his lap. “I wish I could keep you here forever, sweetheart. But I can’t. Ya gotta stay at the kennel.”

The feed disappeared and Merlin was on his screen again. “Apparently this is nae the first time. If a puppy is having a hard time adjusting, he or she disappears for a few days and then returns.”

“Is Victor upset?”

“Nae, not at all. He thinks it’s quite comical, actually. So do I…it’s adorable that the lad thinks he’s getting away with it. He forgets where he is sometimes.”

“Do I need to speak with him?”

“Nae. Victor is keeping a close eye on him.”

Harry sighed. “He has a generous heart.”

“That he does.”

 

The jet soon lands and Harry is on his feet before it’s rolled to a complete stop. He knows that isn’t safe but he doesn’t care. Knowing Eggsy is there waiting for him is the only thing he can focus on. He thanks the flight crew and almost tumbles down the stairs in his haste.

Eggsy is standing at the edge of the hangar, leaning against the wall. As soon as he sees Harry he stands up straight, adjusting his jumper and running a hand through his hair. “Welcome home, Galahad, sir.”

“Nice to see you again, Eggsy.” They walk side-by-side out of the hangar and down the corridor. The professional behavior is pretty much ridiculous by this point; everyone knows they’re an item by now and almost everyone approves. If they don’t approve, Harry doesn’t care. Let them be jealous. Let them envy Harry for the boy at his side. 

They make it halfway down the corridor before Eggsy stops in front of a door, throws it open, and yanks Harry inside. It’s a small closet but Eggsy apparently doesn’t mind. He pushes Harry up against the back of the door. “Christ, Haz, I fucking missed ya.”

“And I you, my darling boy.” Harry fists one hand in Eggsy’s hair as they kiss, his other hand sliding down to squeeze the tight arse. Eggsy moans, standing on tiptoe to continue kissing him. 

Harry kisses Eggsy as if he needs him to exist. Their tongues meet and dance, teeth occasionally tugging at a lip or gently nipping at a tongue. “Fuck, Harry!” Eggsy gasps as Harry licks down his throat to kiss at its base. “Want ya…”

“Not yet, my love.” Harry kisses his forehead and slowly pushes him away. “I still need to debrief with Merlin.”

“I’d rather debrief you,” Eggsy says with a wink, sliding his hand down over the front of Harry’s trousers. “Feels like you’d rather do that as well.”

Harry moans. “Evil thing. Are you finished for the day?”

“Yeah…can’t wait for you to see the contract I wrote up. Work of art in itself.” Eggsy beams proudly. “They’ll never know the difference.”

“Well done, my boy.” Eggsy shivers at the praise. “Why don’t you go to the house? I shouldn’t be more than an hour at the most.”

“All right.” Eggsy pretends to think. “Maybe I’ll…take a bath. Get myself clean. All over.”

Harry bites back a whimper. “Or I could let you know when I’m leaving and you could be in the bath waiting for me.”

“Christ, now who’s fucking evil.” Eggsy kisses him again. “Go have your chat with Merlin. I’ll see you at yours.”

“I love you, dearest boy. And missed you so very much.”

“I missed you, too, Haz. Glad you're home safe.”

 

“I captured the bad guys, saved the day and rescued the intel.” Harry deposits a piece of plastic onto Merlin’s desk. “All’s well that end’s well, and I believe we’re through.” He stands up and straightens his tie.

“Sit down, ye perverted old sot.” Merlin points to the chair. Harry sighs and sits down again. “You’ve made it this long without him, ye can make it a few minutes more.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about. You’re a busy man, I see no reason to…”

“Ye have never in your life cared about how busy I am.” Merlin eyes sparkle with amusement. “Have ye nae learned that I can see right through ye? I’m half-tempted to hold ye here out of spite.”

“Fine. I missed him.” Merlin raises an eyebrow. “A lot,” Harry adds. “I’ve always heard that every relationship has a honeymoon period where everything is wonderful, you cannot bear to be apart, you cannot keep your hands off each other. And then that is supposed to wither and die. We’re not withering, Merlin. If anything, my feelings have intensified.”

“And it is nae one-sided, I will tell you that much,” Merlin says. “He knows he cannae officially ask about the mission, but he finds a reason to stop by my office while ye are gone. Quite often. It’s annoying,” he gripes, his face showing that he is not annoyed in the slightest. 

“We both knew how things would be when we got together,” Harry says with a sigh. “But when I have to go on a mission and send him back to that tiny room..”

“There’s your problem, Harry. Why in the world are ye sending him back to ‘that tiny room,’ for fuck’s sake?” Merlin asks. 

“What…ask him to move in?” Merlin rolls his eyes. “There is no way a young man like Eggsy would ever want to live with me. I’m difficult, I’m fussy, my house is boring.”

“The lad’s met ye, Harry. He knows how difficult and fussy ye are. And he loves your house. Did ye ever wonder why it looks so nice when he return from a mission, how your refrigerator and cupboards were stocked? The lad goes over the day before you’re scheduled to return and cleans it top to bottom. Does your shopping. Makes sure the dry cleaning is back. He lives there without living there.”

“Oh.” Harry blinks at him. “I will never admit you’re right.”

“I would never ask ye to.” Merlin sighs. “Go. Out of my sight, please.”

“Thank you, Merlin. Have a good day.”

“I’ll see ye at the end of your downtime. And please do not fuck the lad so hard he cannae walk back in here. He does have a job to do.”

“Now who’s the perverted old man?” Harry asks as he leaves.

As promised he texts Eggsy just before he sits down on the train. By the time he opens his front door his entire body is tingling. He’s home, and his boy is there waiting for him. He hangs up his coat and takes the steps two at a time, undoing his tie as he goes. “Haz?” The voice he loves floats out from the en suite.

“Yes, darling, it’s me. Just let me get undressed.” First thing’s first. He gets lube and a condom and places them on the nightstand table, removing his glasses and putting them in the drawer before he closes it. He does NOT need a play-by-play analysis from Merlin later. It’s happened. It was horrifying. He strips down to his pants and heads for the en suite, unable to wait another moment longer. He smiles as he sees the handsome face peeking up at him from a mountain of bubbles. “Is there room in there for me?”

“Always. Might spill a bit…I sorta got carried away.” Eggsy scoops foam in his hand and blows it in Harry’s direction.

“Well, that’s what the drain is for.” Harry watches Eggsy stand up, water and suds streaming down his gorgeous body as he stands like a flesh-and-blood Colossus of Rhodes. Harry removes his pants and takes Eggsy’s offered hand. He steps in and gives a quick kiss to the pink lips before carefully settling into place. Eggsy squats and then sits between his legs, water sloshing over the edge.

“There you are.” Eggsy sighs as he snuggles his back against Harry’s chest. 

“Here I am.” Harry kisses Eggsy’s shoulder and leans his head back. “Christ, it’s good to be home.”

“Everything go all right?” Eggsy picks up a sponge and starts to scrub Harry’s left arm.

“Yes, actually. I could have been home a bit sooner, but I was wandering about town, doing some shopping,” Harry lies. 

“Shopping? You shopped instead of coming home to me?” Eggsy pinches his thigh.

“What if I was shopping FOR you?”

“What did you get me?”

“Earrings. I think you’d be so sexy with your ears pierced.”

Eggsy leans and turns his head to see Harry’s face. “If you think for one moment I’m gonna…oh, piss off, wanker,” he snaps as Harry gives in to a smile.

“I did not stick around and shop, I came home to you as soon as I could, my boy.” He buries his faces in the back of Eggsy’s neck. “I missed you so.”

“Mmmm,” Eggsy hums happily. “Daisy drew you a picture, it’s down on the fridge.” He finishes Harry’s arm and starts on the other side. Harry picks up another sponge and works it over Eggsy’s chest.

“And what is it this time?” Harry adores Eggsy’s little sister, although he’s still not quite sure about their mother. She’s friendly enough, but Harry always feels that she is waiting for the right time to ask him for something. Money, probably, although she hasn’t done it yet. Eggsy takes care of her, pays her bills, and for right now it seems to be enough.

“Unicorn,” Eggsy tells him. “Unicorns and flowers.”

“How lovely.” Harry’s hand slides down Eggsy’s stomach and Eggsy squirms a bit. “Oh…does that feel good?” He runs the sponge along the inside of Eggsy’s thighs. 

“It could feel better.” Eggsy take Harry’s hand and runs it along his cock, his balls, and down further. 

“Would my mouth make it feel better?” Harry murmurs in his ear. 

“Jesus, Haz…” Eggsy pants, arching up a bit.

“I was looking forward to a relaxing soak,” Harry teases.

“Well, that ain’t gonna happen if the prick digging into my back has anything to say about it,” Eggsy says, wriggling his body so his slick back rubs over Harry’s cock.

“I do believe you are correct.” He releases Eggsy so he can stand. “What a lovely view.” Harry runs his hands up Eggsy’s thighs. “How in the world did I get so lucky?”

“You offered a poor chav a seat,” Eggsy reminds him. He helps Harry to his feet and releases the stopper on the drain as Harry grabs them each a towel.

They dry off but don’t bother bringing the towels into the bedroom. By the time Harry hangs up his towel and leaves the en suite, Eggsy is on the bed, lube beside him, fingers working inside. “Sweet Jesus, Eggsy,” Harry gasps. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“No, I’m trying to give you a head start,” Eggsy says with a cheeky grin.

Harry growls and crawls up the bed between Eggsy’s legs, placing kisses on the soft skin as he goes. He opens the lube and slicks his fingers a bit. “You are absolute sin,” Harry murmurs. He kisses and licks Eggsy’s balls before sinking a finger in.

“Fuck, oh fucking fuck!” Eggsy yells, arching his back and digging his hands into the duvet. “Naughty old man.”

“You like it,” Harry mumbles.

“I fucking love it…fuck yeah, Harry, suck them into your mouth,” Eggsy begs. Harry grins before doing as he’s told. Eggsy is quite bossy in bed and Harry loves every minute of it. A hand fists in Harry’s hair and he pulls against it for a moment. “Oh, feeling bratty, are we? Not gonna feel that way with my cock in your mouth, are ya?” He drags Harry’s head up and rubs his cock along Harry’s lips.

“You act as if that’s a punishment.” A second finger goes in as Eggsy’s cock slides along Harry’s tongue.

“Such a perfect…fuck…perfect cocksucker…people think you’s a gent…you so fucking ain’t…”

“I am a gentleman, through and through.” Harry licks a line up one side and down the other. “I always say please…such as right now. Please, Eggsy, fuck my mouth.”

“You evil bastard.” Eggsy fists his hands in Harry’s hair and thrusts inside. Harry moans around him, loving the way that Eggsy takes his breath away, both literally and figuratively.

When they both can’t stand it any longer Harry finally pulls away and rolls the condom onto his cock. He slicks it up and Eggsy immediately pulls him down for a kiss. “I love you, my precious boy,” Harry whispers as he slowly pushes inside.

“I love you, Harry.” Eggsy’s fingers dig into Harry’s back and his eyes flutter shut.

Nothing more is said after that. For all the banter and innuendo, sex after time apart always seems to be a bit more than just a normal coupling. Everything is intensified, and Eggsy clings to Harry as if to remind himself that Harry has actually returned safely. Harry buries his face in Eggsy’s neck, inhaling the familiar scent of the man he loves. “Look into my eyes, darling,” Harry whispers, pulling back to look at him. He leans back a bit so he can thrust deeper.

“Haz…oh fuck…Haz…” Eggsy’s hand barely has to touch his own cock before he comes on his own stomach, body shuddering with release.

“Oh, my gorgeous boy, I love you…” Harry bites down just about Eggsy’s heart as his orgasm pushes through him in heavy waves.

He places his head on Eggsy’s chest as they try to catch their breath. He finally moves to tenderly kiss each nipple before pulling out. He gets up to dispose of the condom, putting on his dressing gown before retrieving a flannel to clean Eggsy. He slaps Eggsy’s hands away as he reaches for the cloth and cleans Eggsy himself. “Always gotta take care of me, dontcha, Haz?” Eggsy asks with a sleepy grin.

“Of course. It’s part of my duty as Galahad.” Harry reaches for the covers and pulls them up, but instead of wrapping himself around Eggsy, he slides down the bed a bit and places his head on Eggsy’s chest.

Eggsy sighs happily and pulls him closer. Harry knows Eggsy likes being the big spoon. “You better not be performing those duties with anyone else.”

“Absolutely not. You are…a special assignment.”

“Wish you could perform these duties more often,” Eggsy says almost wistfully. “Miss you so much sometimes.”

“And I you.” Harry presses his lips to Eggsy’s skin and almost whispers the words. “Move in with me.” Perhaps Eggsy won’t hear them, and then he won’t have to listen to Eggsy politely refuse.

Of course Eggsy hears him. He has young ears. He wiggles away until Harry is forced to sit up. “Wot?”

“Um, I said, well…” Harry stammers, something he rarely does. “I asked if you would, perhaps, wish to move in with me.”

“Move in with you.” Eggsy stares at him in shock.

“Obviously the idea is…”

“Obviously the idea is the best idea I have ever heard in my entire fucking life!” Eggsy blurts out. “Christ…ya serious?” Harry nods. “Oh, fuck, Harry, yes.” Eggsy tackles him onto his back. “I was…I was hoping someday you would ask, but I thought maybe you didn’t like the idea of some idiot like me being in your hair all the time, that you preferred to have your space.”

“My preferred space is whatever space you’re currently occupying, my dearest,” Harry manages. His heart is beating so hard he feels Eggsy can probably hear it outside his body. “You really wish to move in here?”

“Harry, I want it so much,” Eggsy promises. He kisses Harry long and hard. “I love you. Wanna be with you every second I can when yer home.”

“Then…we can use the next few days to get you settled.” Harry can’t believe this is happening. A thought strikes him. “Christ…Merlin is going to be absolutely insufferable. He does go on when I’ve proven him right.”

THE END

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Fanart for Fic- eBook Covers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20264470) by [blackat_t7t](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackat_t7t/pseuds/blackat_t7t)




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